(Jamaica Observer) KINGSTON, Jamaica — Police on Monday arrested and charged a man believed to be the main suspect behind a major cyber crime offence involving the posting of nude photographs of women on a local website.
The man has been identified as Ronald Oates of a Kingston address.
He has been charged with breaches of the Cyber Crime Act and extortion, among other offences.
Oates is expected to appear in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate Court next Wednesday.
The police allege that Oates would hack into women’s email account and threaten to post nude photos of them if they did not pay him.
According to the police he demanded between $10,000 and $20,000 for the photos not to be put online.
The highest amount he has received from one person is $150,000, the police said.
They added that the official number of women affected is 25, but the number could be in the 100s based on information unearthed when they arrested the 27-year-old suspect.
In the meantime the police are urging people to be sensitive about what they send via email and always strive to use a password that is difficult to breach.
