Four teenagers in Australia have been accused of using Grindr to harass and extort more than a dozen men for thousands of dollars, the Caberra Times reports.
The young men, ages 15 to 18, were charged last week with blackmail by Australian police. According to authorities, they used Grindr and Facebook to connect with unsuspecting men. They would chat with them for a while then arrange to meet. Once they had the men successfully ensnared in their trap, they informed them that they were minors and demanded cash in return for their silence.
“We’re the pedo hunters,” one teen allegedly told one victim.
Related: Man sues Grindr over elaborate sexual harassment scheme orchestrated by his ex
How about we take this to the next level?
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The teens kept a detailed dossier on their victims, including the men’s names, addresses, photos, screenshots of their conversations, and a list of potential crimes they committed. They then told them men they were going to contact their employers, report them to police, and expose them by putting up posters of their faces in public if they didn’t fork over their cellphones and $1000.
But it gets creepier.
Police also found photos and videos on at least one of the teen’s mobile devices crowing about their victories, including a video that included images of cash, an alleged victim, and his ATM card, along with the word “Homo” set to a soundtrack of “cheerful” music. Another picture showed one of the teenager’s faces photoshopped onto an image of Jesus, holding a photograph of a victim’s head in his hands.
Police believe as many as 15 men may have fallen victim to the ploy, including one who committed suicide as a result.
Related: Cyberbully harasses man with creepy notes after being rejected by him on Grindr six years ago
Prosecutors say the teens were “driven by financial gain and a perverted sense of morality,” adding that the level of sophistication behind the scheme was “startling” given their ages; however, one of the teen’s fathers, who was drunk when he spoke to authorities, insisted the kids “had done nothing wrong” and that they “were almost doing police’s job.”
Two of teenagers, a 15-year-old and a 16-year-old, have been granted bail and are now under house arrest. Another 16-year-old said to be at the “top of the pyramid” of the scheme, remains behind bars, along with the 18-year-old.
ChrisK
This is homophobia at it’s worst. Those little brats need to stop it. Kind of turns me on too. Is that weird?
crowebobby
I’m a little ashamed to say I know what you mean though my outrage is also boundless and my [referred revenge would entail several hours of gang rape by some VERY well-endowed gentlemen of the deSade persuasion.
Roan
Yes.
Doug
Yup, really wired.
Kheft
Greed + “a perverted sense of morality” seems to be a common sickness infecting a great many weak minds these days. I see this as just one horrific outcome of tolerating hate and discrimination. These kids have grown up in a society which has given therm license, even approval, for committing hate crimes like this. They will get away with it with a mere slap on the wrist, compounding the gravity of the offenses. I still want to believe people are capable of changing but hope is waning.
Transiteer
and then there’s the drunkard of a father and his brain-dead valueless opinion of it all. a good straight I’m sure. Can see where his kid gets his attitude.
oddchild1
This is why I say if you’re over 25 you shouldn’t be chasing after people who can’t buy their own beer. There’s a difference between a college freshman impressing high schoolers with their “maturity” and someone old enough to be a college graduate slithering about saying “I keep getting older, and they stay the same age.” Get over it; if they can’t buy liquor they’re too young for you if you’re over 25.
JerseyMike
Thank you but no thank you.. I would never trust these kids online … They lie about their age all the time.
surreal33
How many Grindr (other skanky sex sites) stories will it take before we realize the internet is not the answer? Now more than any other point in history you can meet a man face to face without using the internet. I meet more men at Home Depot than I ever met trolling the internet. Change the narrative.
Neonegro
Blackmail me and I’ll pay someone to make you disappear.
scotty
you and i know the same people.
Jack Meoff
Another good reason not to go chasing the barely legals aside from the fact that it’s just plain creepy.
Teva
Little bastards