All articles tagged with #extortion
A British woman says a man wearing smart glasses filmed her without consent and later demanded payment to remove the footage, highlighting how wearable cameras can be used for extortion and how influencer-driven content can invade privacy; police have limited leads and platforms have removed the video, underscoring privacy risks in wearable tech and social media dynamics.
Instructure confirmed attackers exploited multiple cross-site scripting flaws in the Canvas Free-for-Teacher environment to hijack authenticated admin sessions, deface login portals, and trigger a ransom demand by ShinyHunters. The initial breach exposed data from about 8,809 educational organizations, with ShinyHunters claiming as many as 275 million records stolen; the defacement itself did not involve direct data loss, and Canvas has since been restored after a temporary shutdown.
Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Wes Edens has been identified as the victim in a federal extortion case alleging a $1 billion blackmail plot tied to a brief romantic relationship; prosecutors say Changli Luo threatened to release intimate photos and videos unless Edens paid more than $1 billion, with Edens previously agreeing to a $6.5 million settlement; the case is headed to trial later this year, Luo is free on bond, and Edens’ spokesperson says he will testify under oath.
A London woman was secretly filmed by a man wearing camera-equipped smart glasses; the clip appeared online and was used in an extortion bid demanding payment for removal. Despite platform takedowns, copies circulated, highlighting how discreet wearables enable abuse and ambient AI data capture, even as Meta's Ray-Ban eyewear denies facial recognition and third-party tools can identify people.
A London woman was covertly filmed by a man wearing smart glasses, who then demanded payment to remove the video from social media; the BBC says the clip circulated online, was briefly removed after TikTok rules were cited, and the incident underscores rising privacy concerns around camera-equipped glasses, with police saying there isn’t enough information to launch an investigation yet.
Federal authorities arrested more than two dozen members and associates of the Mexican Mafia in a Southern California crackdown, with 43 people indicted on charges including murder, kidnapping, extortion, illegal gambling, and drug trafficking. Authorities seized about 120 pounds (54 kg) of meth and more than 8 pounds (over 4 kg) of fentanyl, along with 25 firearms and $30,000. An incarcerated leader allegedly ran the operation via contraband cellphones from June 2024 to April this year, directing kidnappings, assaults and street‑level drug trafficking and providing security for illegal gambling; a murder at a motel in Anaheim is also tied to the case. Defendants are set to appear in federal court in Los Angeles and Orange counties.
Vercel disclosed a security incident with unauthorized access to internal systems. A threat actor claiming to be part of ShinyHunters is advertising stolen data for sale, including access keys, source code, and employee records. Vercel says services remain unaffected, is working with incident responders and law enforcement, and has advised impacted customers to review environment variables and rotate secrets; the authenticity of the leaked data and any exposed credentials remain unconfirmed.
Paramount Skydance president Jeff Shell counters RJ Cipriani’s $150 million suit by alleging Cipriani orchestrated a shakedown around South Park talks, including death threats and a 24/7 security detail, using media leaks and a web of alleged connections to pressure Shell, with broader Hollywood legal drama and ties to former executives emerging.
Paramount Skydance president Jeff Shell and the company filed a cross-claim denying Cipriani’s suit that Shell leaked confidential Paramount information, calling Cipriani’s claims an extortionate shakedown and defamatory. Shell says Cipriani fabricated claims to pressure a settlement after an alleged 18‑month relationship and crisis‑communications work, and seeks damages and an injunction, while Cipriani had sought about $150 million over alleged services and later leaked drafts to media.
A New York lawyer tied to a Donald Trump pardon is charged in Brooklyn with attempted Hobbs Act extortion for allegedly threatening a former client and the client’s son over a roughly $500,000 debt, including directing an enforcer to intimidate them. Nass faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted and was released on a $5 million bond secured by multiple properties and GPS monitoring. Prosecutors note Nass had earlier been paid about $100,000 for advocacy related to executive clemency and Trump’s pardon of Joseph Schwartz, underscoring ongoing questions about lobbying’s role in presidential clemency.
A lobbyist and attorney, Josh Nass, was arrested in Manhattan on an extortion charge tied to a client who had received a presidential pardon. Nass had been paid to press for clemency for Joseph Schwartz, a former nursing-home executive, and allegedly tried to collect a remaining $500,000 by threatening Schwartz’s son, with investigators recording conversations in both Russian and English. The case underscores conflicts around clemency lobbying and private extortion schemes in the Trump era.
Five severed heads were hung on posts at Puerto López beach in Ecuador with a message threatening extortion by gangs, illustrating a spike in violence tied to drug-cartel activity; authorities note a record homicide rate in 2025 and ongoing government efforts, as gangs operate across Colombia and Peru transit routes.
The TLC docuseries 'The Cult of the Real Housewife' investigates allegations that Mary Cosby and her husband manipulated church members into financial extortion and engaged in misconduct, contrasting her church leadership with her reality TV persona, and exploring the influence of social media and cult dynamics.
Two U.S. cybersecurity professionals, Ryan Goldberg and Kevin Martin, pleaded guilty to conspiring with the ransomware gang ALPHV Blackcat to extort American companies, facing up to 20 years in prison, highlighting concerns about insider threats in the digital protection industry.
The leader of lime growers in Michoacan, Bernardo Bravo, was murdered after publicly denouncing cartel extortion, highlighting ongoing violence and criminal influence over agricultural sectors in Mexico.