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There's a Pervert Impersonating ANN Staff


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leafy sea dragon



Joined: 27 Oct 2009
Posts: 7163
Location: Another Kingdom
PostPosted: Fri Feb 05, 2016 11:57 pm Reply with quote
I don't think I'll be getting contact from whoever this is, but I do know people who might, and I'll make sure they don't get caught in it. Thanks for letting us all know. His days as a free man are numbered.

Don't worry about ending his life. Once he gets arrested, prison time will be a fate worse than death for him. He'll be put under the "sex offender" group, which is the lowest rung in prison culture because there is no honor in sex crimes.

DmonHiro wrote:
Seriously? What the actual hell? This is something you read in bad ero-manga. Who the hell does that? Jesus!


Sadly, this is how a lot of abductions begin nowadays. The conversation seen in the alert can easily lead to "Come over to such-and-such address to begin." This guy could VERY easily start steering the discussion towards that, if he hasn't done so already, since he claims to be a photographer and can convincingly claim they need a specific location to shoot.

This technique is common enough (not specifically as cosplay photographers, but pretending to be an authority figure or expert online to lure innocent victims to certain locations to commit sex crimes) that law enforcement agents sometimes pose as potential victims online to catch them. And they keep finding them!

The way it's described in this alert, however, is detailed enough that anyone who reads it will not fall for whoever this guy is.

whiskeyii wrote:
Yikes. I know some folks who do cosplay photography sessions. I'll be sure to pass this along. Thanks for the heads up, ANN!


I do fear incidents with this guy may hurt the reputation of legitimate cosplay photographers though, especially ones who want to begin around now.

Usagi-kun wrote:
This is terrible news. Unfortunately this Predator is clever enough to use such tricks to manipulate people under the ambiguity of the internet. Socially, we are actually left at a disadvantage when we meet strangers online. In our online community, we need to protect each other within our fandom, particularly younger members who may face targeted attacks based on their lack of internet savvy ase well.


What he's doing isn't that clever. It has one major weakness, though I won't say what it is on the off-chance he reads this post. I'm not going to make it easier for him to get away with it. But suffice to say that because of this weakness, predators who use his technique almost always get caught after making a mistake. It's a bigger surprise he's gone for a year and a half without making that mistake.
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Cutiebunny



Joined: 18 Apr 2010
Posts: 1746
PostPosted: Sat Feb 06, 2016 12:27 am Reply with quote
leafy sea dragon wrote:
Once he gets arrested, prison time will be a fate worse than death for him. He'll be put under the "sex offender" group, which is the lowest rung in prison culture because there is no honor in sex crimes.


As much as I'd hate to defend the guy, no, in the US, he will likely not be convicted as a sex offender. While this article did indicate that he was interested in obtaining underage models, unless police can find proof that he engaged in sexual acts with minors, has pornographic media of individuals who are clearly minors or forced minors to record themselves engaging in sexual acts, he's not going to be a registered sexual offender. Assuming that all he received were panty shots from 18 year olds, that's not enough to be consisdered as a sexual offender. Offering money for panty shots, while skirting the line of prostitution, is neither of these.

FYI, the lowest rung in US prisons belongs to sexual molesters of young children, like 0-8 year olds. Honestly, it sounds like he'd fit in quite well with a good chunk of the prison population, many who are guilty (or wouldn't think twice of doing) of doing things to minors in the 13-17 age range.
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Tempest
I Run this place.
ANN Publisher


Joined: 29 Dec 2001
Posts: 10419
Location: Do not message me for support.
PostPosted: Sat Feb 06, 2016 12:29 am Reply with quote
Cutiebunny wrote:
Am I the only one wondering why it took a year and a half for ANN to publicize this?


That's a very fair question.

As I mentioned in the article, we first heard about this about a year-and-a-half ago. At the time we heard about a couple victims in a short period of time. One of the victims was very pro-active in trying to catch this guy, she was going to go to law-enforcement and try to get e-mail & skype records subpoenad so that he could be identified.

At the time I thought this would be a perfectly fine resolution and I didn't want to do anything to tip him off. Unfortunately we never heard back from her, so we have no idea how far she pursued this.

We also received no more complaints, so... quite honestly... I forgot about it.

Then this week we received a new complaint, and the methods used were identical. At that time I decided to do something about it right away.

In the year-and-a-half in between the reports I have no idea if he continued to harass girls online, or if he stopped. I assume he continued, but it's possible that he did it using the identity of journalists from other sites.

I wish I had done something publicly the first time... hindsight Sad
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Bluenoser



Joined: 17 Jul 2012
Posts: 39
PostPosted: Sat Feb 06, 2016 12:30 am Reply with quote
First off, good for making this public ANN, and yes, while I only know a few cosplayers in my area I will be sure to pass this along, after all the internet knows little to no geographic boundaries.

Second, for those that are acting like the internet is somehow making this happen, or helping create a new venue/method for perverts to take these kinds of images/photos, sad to say this is something that has been around a loooong time, well before the modern day (as in GUI) internet. Used to be claiming to be for glamour and other kinds of legitimate modelling photo shoots/freelancers was the cover used by such "persons", this is just one of the latest in a long line of this sort of scumbag dirty tricks for material.

I will admit I find it really upsetting to see cosplayers being targeted, especially since some to many that get drawn into the fandom world of which this is a part are not the most socially adept/adjusted people, which alas is what many of these pervs see as prime prey. A quarter century or so ago I was at a local Con where we had someone working that Con for new victims to "groom" for his stable, it turned out he was using Cons because he could always count on finding vulnerable youth seeking attention and affection/respect of some sort and was particularly good at faking it.

There is something particularly sick to me about a predator coming to a place like a Con to find prey, perhaps because I have always been a part of fen, perhaps because I know from too many others how the fen world gave them something to hold onto at hard points in their lives, but this sort of thing really brings up a rage within me. This targeting of cosplayers, especially younger ones, well it punches that button hard too.

So that this is happening does not surprise me. Saddens, sickens, of course, but surprises, alas not. Let us all hope and pray and do what we can to make sure our friends involved in cosplay get the warning, that this sleezebag is caught, and soon.

Good luck ANN.
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TsukasaElkKite



Joined: 22 Nov 2005
Posts: 3945
PostPosted: Sat Feb 06, 2016 1:20 am Reply with quote
This is terrifying. Be careful, everyone!
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MrTerrorist



Joined: 20 Oct 2010
Posts: 1348
PostPosted: Sat Feb 06, 2016 2:13 am Reply with quote
What a creep.
Hopefully the police will catch this guy.
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leafy sea dragon



Joined: 27 Oct 2009
Posts: 7163
Location: Another Kingdom
PostPosted: Sat Feb 06, 2016 2:16 am Reply with quote
Cutiebunny wrote:
As much as I'd hate to defend the guy, no, in the US, he will likely not be convicted as a sex offender. While this article did indicate that he was interested in obtaining underage models, unless police can find proof that he engaged in sexual acts with minors, has pornographic media of individuals who are clearly minors or forced minors to record themselves engaging in sexual acts, he's not going to be a registered sexual offender. Assuming that all he received were panty shots from 18 year olds, that's not enough to be consisdered as a sexual offender. Offering money for panty shots, while skirting the line of prostitution, is neither of these.

FYI, the lowest rung in US prisons belongs to sexual molesters of young children, like 0-8 year olds. Honestly, it sounds like he'd fit in quite well with a good chunk of the prison population, many who are guilty (or wouldn't think twice of doing) of doing things to minors in the 13-17 age range.


Hmm, what do you think he WOULD be accused of? I guess that'd depend on what the police can dig up and if this will make the media rounds or not.

You're right though, people who molest little kids are the ones at the bottom, picked on by the others. People who are in prison for sex crimes are still below those who are in there for crimes related to money or power though.
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crazieanimefan1



Joined: 18 Feb 2015
Posts: 409
Location: Auburn, AL
PostPosted: Sat Feb 06, 2016 2:23 am Reply with quote
I did share this on Facebook since I have a few cosplay friends, I too sometimes do it. The only two times I was EVER contacted by ANN was by Bamboo and once they said I won a prize that I wasn't aware I did and explained I never recieved such. Regardless, each email was as stated. However, Mr. Pervert...eh...I would say what's on my mind, but children could be reading this, so I'll just say a certain area of the body needs snipped.
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AnimeLordLuis



Joined: 27 Jan 2015
Posts: 1626
Location: The Borderlands of Pandora
PostPosted: Sat Feb 06, 2016 3:15 am Reply with quote
Looks like Mr. Pervert is now on ANN Most Wanted list and rightfully so he deserves to be punished to the fullest extent of the law I bet he wouldn't like to be taken advantage of which is just what's going to happen on his prison sentence. Twisted Evil
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Lemonchest



Joined: 18 Mar 2015
Posts: 1771
PostPosted: Sat Feb 06, 2016 5:35 am Reply with quote
If this was anime, Mr. Pervert would be revealed to be a misunderstood character with a tragic past (bad parenting, probably) & ultimately get a job with ANN so they can do battle against the real evil - the cosplay shadow queen who manipulated him to beat their rivals.
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enurtsol



Joined: 01 May 2007
Posts: 14746
PostPosted: Sat Feb 06, 2016 6:55 am Reply with quote
Make anime about it, all fandom knows
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Haruyuki367



Joined: 06 Feb 2016
Posts: 1
PostPosted: Sat Feb 06, 2016 7:02 am Reply with quote
I really hope he is severely punished for this.
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Cutiebunny



Joined: 18 Apr 2010
Posts: 1746
PostPosted: Sat Feb 06, 2016 8:24 am Reply with quote
leafy sea dragon wrote:
Hmm, what do you think he WOULD be accused of?


Possibly fraud if you can prove, in court, that he claimed he was affiliated with ANN. ANN could then sue for damages to their brand. But judging from the snippet of the conversation posted, although creepy, it appears to be a business transaction along the lines of "I'll give you money to strip". There are no signs of forced coercion.

Quote:
People who are in prison for sex crimes are still below those who are in there for crimes related to money or power though.


Not in the US. Rapists who prey on adults are pretty standard, and usually there's also some assault charges in there. If they can hold their own on the prison yard or are smart enough to join a gang upon entry, rapists will fare ok. If you have enough money or influence in the US and have solely committed crimes where finances or corruption were involved, you're not sent to prison, but what's referred to as Club Fed. Martha Stewart is a perfect example of this. She wasn't making brownies for the big boys at Folsom.
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MischievousMelody



Joined: 17 May 2014
Posts: 473
PostPosted: Sat Feb 06, 2016 9:07 am Reply with quote
Hopefully, this guy has been caught by now.
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AJ (LordNikon)



Joined: 14 Apr 2009
Posts: 502
Location: Kyoto
PostPosted: Sat Feb 06, 2016 9:08 am Reply with quote
Cutiebunny wrote:
As much as I'd hate to defend the guy, no, in the US, he will likely not be convicted as a sex offender. While this article did indicate that he was interested in obtaining underage models, unless police can find proof that he engaged in sexual acts with minors, has pornographic media of individuals who are clearly minors or forced minors to record themselves engaging in sexual acts, he's not going to be a registered sexual offender. Assuming that all he received were panty shots from 18 year olds, that's not enough to be consisdered as a sexual offender. Offering money for panty shots, while skirting the line of prostitution, is neither of these.

FYI, the lowest rung in US prisons belongs to sexual molesters of young children, like 0-8 year olds. Honestly, it sounds like he'd fit in quite well with a good chunk of the prison population, many who are guilty (or wouldn't think twice of doing) of doing things to minors in the 13-17 age range.


Just propitiation or solicitation through electronics means is enough in most US states to end up in jail for a 3-5 year stint as a sex offender. In recent years, many states have started to catch up with the technology in pedo cases.

Lemonchest wrote:
If this was anime, Mr. Pervert would be revealed to be a misunderstood character with a tragic past (bad parenting, probably) & ultimately get a job with ANN so they can do battle against the real evil - the cosplay shadow queen who manipulated him to beat their rivals.


And in Japan, this guy would be reported by The Japan Times as "stressed" or "needing to blow off steam" as is the excuse for anytime anyone here commits a violent crime such as murder or rape or really anything else.
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