Richard Finkbiner knew he’s got his hooks into another horrified and tender mind ready to do whatever he wanted.
Last week, Richard Leon Finbiner, 39, owner of an ISP in Indiana, was charged for blackmailing children into performing sexually explicit acts, filming them on webcams, and posting them to satisfy his voyeuristic urges.
While the allegations involve hardcore evidence involving two 14-year old boys, the FBI has mentioned in court documents that the thousands of sexually explicit images and videos on Finkbiner’s computer indicate ‘several hundred’ other victims who are ashamed to come forward.
Finkbiner worked his scheme in the following manner: He would first discover sexually explicit videos uploaded by young boys on what they thought was an anonymous video chat site. He would then track the children and befriend them on social media under the pseudonym “Josh Swaim.” He also urged minors whom he had befriended to upload sexually explicit videos under assurances of anonymity of the chat site. Then he would tell them that he was a hacker, who could not be tracked, but he knew the identity of the minor and if the young boy didn’t record more sexually explicit videos then he would release them on the internet and gay porn sites. The frightened children complied.
Finkbiner forced the children to upload sexually explicit videos of their acts under threats that he would expose them to their parents, friends, or pastors.
To one victim he wrote, “Only I have this link … You want to play this game or you want to be a gay porn star?” alluding that he would publish the videos of the young victim on pornographic sites.
The FBI mentions in court documents, “Analysis of FINKBINER’s computer and other digital media uncovered thousands of video files depicting hundreds of individuals on various states of undress or engaged in sexually explicit conduct … Many, if not most, of these individuals appear to be between the ages of 14-16 years of age.”
To a child who challenged that what he was doing was illegal, Finkbiner wrote back, “yes it is illegal im ok with that … if u don’t play I promise ill f***ur life over … I won’t get caught im a hacker I covered my tracks.”
With two boys coming forward, the FBI uncovered those tracks and found the IP address of the computer being used for extorting both children belonged to the owner and president of Clay County Internet in Brazil, Indiana.
Finkbiner is currently held pending a hearing on Wednesday. He may face up to 30 years prison time.