The Thunder Bay Police Service (TBPS) has revealed new details about a disturbing online chat group where intimate images of at least 117 women and children from Canada, the U.S., and other countries were obtained through hacking and distributed without consent.
According to TBPS, most images were accessed via hacking and shared in an online chat forum alongside victims’ names. However, authorities have not disclosed the forum or website involved.
“A lot of the victims weren’t aware that their images were being traded and distributed without their consent. So shock was, I think, in the forefront,” said Robert Gombola, TBPS acting detective inspector.
Following an extensive investigation, TBPS has arrested 12 Canadian men, aged 28 to 38, on charges related to the non-consensual sharing of intimate content. In total, 172 charges have been laid, with seven of the accused facing child pornography charges.
With 117 victims already identified, police warn that the actual number could be significantly higher.
“We’re talking about kids as young as probably 12 and we’re going up to adults,” said Det. Const. Joel Manherz.
The investigation, which began in September 2023, was initiated after an alleged victim came forward. During the probe, authorities examined devices linked to the case, uncovering additional criminal activities beyond the distribution of intimate images.
“As we went through chats, we realized that something else was going on,” Manherz stated. This led to further charges, including luring and extortion involving a minor.
Manherz emphasized that victims are not to blame. “The blame here doesn’t lay with [victims]. The blame here lays with the people who decide to go in and take their images and distribute them.”
TBPS continues efforts to identify more victims, urging anyone who suspects their intimate images have been shared without consent to come forward.
Source: Swifteradio.com
