The Smartest Investors Club
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Investing
  • World
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Investing
  • World

The Smartest Investors Club

World

Man sentenced to life after ‘catfishing’ at least 70 minors and driving a 12-year-old to take her own life

by October 26, 2024
October 26, 2024
Man sentenced to life after ‘catfishing’ at least 70 minors and driving a 12-year-old to take her own life

A man in Northern Ireland has been sentenced to life for several crimes, including manslaughter, after using social media sites to blackmail and sexually abuse at least 70 minors in several countries.

Alexander McCartney, 26, was sentenced by a judge at Belfast Crown Court on Friday for child sexual offenses, blackmail and the manslaughter of a 12-year-old girl who took her own life in the United States in 2018 after being “catfished,” according to a statement from Northern Ireland’s Public Prosecution Service (PPS).

Catfishing – often used on social media – is when a person uses false information and images to create a fake identity online with the intention of tricking, harassing, or scamming another person.

According to authorities, McCartney pretended to be a young girl, befriended victims on social media and manipulated them into sending him nude images of themselves.

The victims were then threatened “into sending him indecent images and videos of themselves, forcing them to engage in depraved and sometimes dangerous sexual acts,” the statement said.

McCartney – who targeted around 3,500 girls from Northern Ireland, Ireland, Great Britain, the US and New Zealand – sought to “exploit that vulnerability in the most shocking ways,” acting head of the PPS Serious Crime Unit Catherine Kierans said.

“All McCartney’s victims were young, innocent children” as young as 10 years old and “struggling with identity and body image issues and had reached out for help on social media,” Kierans said.

In total, McCartney pleaded guilty to 185 charges involving 70 victims. McCartney must serve a minimum of 20 years in prison before he can be considered for parole.

“Tragically, one of his young victims, who was just 12, had taken her own life during an online chat in which he was threatening her and forcing her to engage in sexual activity,” Kierans noted. She said that the girl, an American, and McCartney never met in person.

“If we discover this activity, or it is reported to us, we remove it, lock the violating account and report it to the authorities,” the social media site said. It added that the app has “extra protections for teens to make it difficult for them to be contacted by strangers.”

The PPS is working to identify more of McCartney’s victims, according to its statement.

This post appeared first on cnn.com
0
FacebookTwitterGoogle +Pinterest
previous post
US made aware of Israel’s strike on Iran days in advance; IDF says mission complete
next post
Israel launched strikes on Iran in a retaliatory attack. Here’s what we know

You may also like

Founder of fashion giant Mango dies in accident

King Charles praises those ‘who dedicate their lives...

Migrant workers in Canada exposed to ‘shocking abuse...

Germany deports 28 Afghans after unveiling new security...

Russia’s top court bans ‘international LGBTQ movement’

CNN visited the exposed tunnel shaft in the...

Greyhound racing is increasingly rare worldwide. New Zealand...

The lunar far side is wildly different from...

Gisèle Pelicot’s ex-husband, imprisoned for raping and drugging...

Trump’s attorneys have reviewed draft of Smith’s final...

    Get free access to all of the retirement secrets and income strategies from our experts! or Join The Exclusive Subscription Today And Get the Premium Articles Acess for Free


    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Latest

    • OpenAI’s Sam Altman thanks Sen John Fetterman for ‘normalizing hoodies’

    • Former Supreme Court Justice David Souter dead at 85

    • Ukraine says it has uncovered Hungarian spy network working in border region

    • Trump claims ‘I don’t know her’ and ‘listened to’ RFK Jr about surgeon general pick getting MAGA pushback

    • Rubio just got an additional job in Trump’s administration — and he’s not the only one wearing multiple hats

    Categories

    • Business (1,633)
    • Investing (4,791)
    • Politics (7,539)
    • World (6,129)
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • About us

    Disclaimer: thesmartestinvestorsclub.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

    Copyright © 2024 thesmartestinvestorsclub.com | All Rights Reserved


    Back To Top