The man convicted of running the revenge porn site UGotPosted has been sentenced to a historic 18 years in prison for 27 counts of identity theft and extortion. Kevin Bollaert ran the site with a partner from 2012 until 2013, allowing users to post photos anonymously with consent and then extorting the victims to have the images removed. From NBC San Diego:
The sentencing of Kevin Bollaert ended an all-day hearing where a number of victims told of the humiliation inflicted by his website. Bollaert burst into tears as he listened to testimony from his mother and victims.
The sentence was at the high end of the range; Bollaert faced a maximum of 20 years. In explaining his punishment, the judge noted that he stacked the sentencing terms based on the multiple victims.
Bollaert’s punishment is the largest of its kind to date and he will also have to pay $10,000 in restitution to the victims, some of which he charged $350 a piece to remove from the site:
In court Friday, his parents told the judge their son has said he has shown remorse.
“He has said many times he wishes he never made the website…If he could go back and change it all, he would,” they said in a statement to the court.
One after another victims shared how they were damaged by Bollaert’s actions.
“It’s just broken me on a level that’s not describable,” one woman told the court. “The only thing I have left is shame and anger.” (via)
Bollaert could be up for parole in ten years, but it would be hard to see that happening with the number of victims involved. Someone would be bound to protest an early release.
(Via NBC San Diego / ABC10 / The Verge / Daily Dot)