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Oprah Winfrey Show will expose world of cybercrime, feature CyberCrime Unit next week
The internet is a wonderful tool which most of us use on a daily basis, whether at home, work, or school. Unfortunately, internet cybercrime is a life-threatening danger to our children and the predators are out there - in just under 48 months, my CyberCrime unit has arrested over 130 individuals who were possession and/or distributing child pornography or who were actively seeking to have sex with children.
It is imperative that people understand the dark and vile world in which these predators operate - the images of child pornography my unit has reviewed are graphic, heart-wrenching images of violent, degrading, and extremely harmful sexual abuse of children as young as infants. All too often, the predators are online seeking their next victim, and we must do everything within our power to protect our children from that terrible fate.
A critical component in that effort is making sure parents are educated about the dangers of cyberspace as well. Parents can no longer assume their children are safe as long as the children are home. Internet predators have access to children in their own living rooms, bedrooms or wherever the family computer is located, as well as through cell phones.
We must take this fight to a new level and unite the nation against this threat. I am thrilled the progress we are making in Florida will be getting a new audience next week: the viewers of the Oprah Winfrey Show. Next Tuesday, April 21, Oprah Winfrey will be featuring my CyberCrime Unit on her show, and I encourage you to tune in and learn more about how you can join the fight to protect our kids. Check Oprah.com for local listings and as always, you can get more information about my CyberCrime initiative by visiting http://www.safeflorida.net.
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A Jacksonville man was sentenced to four years and seven months in prison after pleading guilty to charges of possessing child pornography and promoting the sexual performance of a child. Jeremiah Peters, a 22-year old Jacksonville man, was prosecuted by attorneys with the Attorney General’s CyberCrime Unit after he was arrested in March 2008 for trading images of child pornography. Upon release, Peters must serve 30 years of sex offender probation and must register with the state as a sexual offender.
A Pinellas County man has pleaded guilty to possessing and distributing child pornography. Michael R. Dube, 52, faces five years in prison when he is sentenced later this month and will have to register with the state as a sex offender upon his release. Dube was arrested in January by the Attorney General’s CyberCrime Unit with assistance from the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office and the police departments of St.Petersburg, New Port Richey, Bradenton and Largo.
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The Attorney General's Office reached a settlement with two affiliated South Florida timeshare resale businesses over issues related to the companies’ advertising and marketing methods. Timeshare Travels, Inc. and World Timeshares, Inc. allegedly led consumers to believe their timeshares were being aggressively marketed when in fact the timeshare listings were only posted on a website. The companies also charged an exorbitant up-front “advertising fee” solely for this website listing. As part of the agreement, both companies will pay a total of $190,483 in consumer restitution and will reimburse the Attorney General’s fees and costs of the investigation.
Attorney General McCollum filed a lawsuit against nine of the largest manufacturers of aftermarket auto filters in the United States, alleging a scheme to maximize profits by illegally fixing prices, allocating customers and eliminating price competition. The lawsuit states that the companies knowingly participated in this scheme since at least 1999 at the expense of Florida consumers and governmental entities.
Attorney General McCollum unveiled a new website designed to help homeowners avoid mortgage fraud-related scams. The website, at http://myfloridalegal.com/mortgagefraud, provides consumers with easy access to current investigations, complaint forms, and tips to identify and avoid foreclosure rescue fraud. Foreclosure rescue fraud, or fraud involving loan modifications related to foreclosures, is the complaint topic most commonly reported to the Attorney General’s Office and involves the charging of an up-front fee for foreclosure rescue services before any services are provided, if they are provided at all.
The Attorney General's Office reached an agreement with Matthew Bender and Company, Inc. and related company Reed Elsevier, Inc., which does business as LexisNexis. Matthew Bender and Company, Inc. manufactures and sells publications, books, newsletters and other products to lawyers, libraries, and government agencies nationwide. The settlement resolved issues related to the companies’ automatic subscription renewal policy and automatic shipment plans. LexisNexis contributes to the advertising and sale of Matthew Bender products.
The Attorney General's Economic Crimes Division reached a settlement with a Palm Beach County business over allegations the company marketed a “free” 30-day trial for its long distance phone equipment, but actually charged and debited consumers during the trial. MagicJack, LP markets MagicJack a phone service product which connects a household phone to a computer, allowing consumers to make unlimited long distance calls over the internet.
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Attorney General Bill McCollum and the Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Alvarez’s Mortgage Fraud Task Force in announcing the arrests of five individuals involved in a criminal mortgage fraud operation that defrauded several financial institutions collectively out of more than $4.5 million. The individuals are facing charges of organized fraud, mortgage fraud and grand theft and will be prosecuted by the Attorney General's Office of Statewide Prosecution.
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South Florida Timeshare Companies to Pay Over $190,000 in Consumer Restitution
McCollum: Lawsuit Alleges Price-Fixing, Anticompetitive Practices by Manufacturers of Auto Filters
Jacksonville Man Sentenced to over 4 Years for Possession, Distribution of Child Pornography
Miami-Dade Mortgage Fraud Task Force Announces Series of Arrests in $4.5 Million Mortgage Fraud Operation
McCollum Unveils Website to Help Homeowners Avoid Mortgage Fraud-Related Scams
Attorney General Negotiates Settlement With Publishing Company, LexisNexis
Attorney General Reaches Agreement with Palm Beach County Phone Service Business
Attorney General, Conservationists, 4-H Members Celebrate 4-H Centennial in Florida
Pinellas County Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing, Distributing Child Pornography
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The Attorney General's CyberCrime Unit will be featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show on Tuesday, April 21st. Check Oprah.com for local listings.
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Attorney General McCollum celebrated 100 years of 4-H in Florida with over 100 4-H members from around the state, as well as representatives from 1000 Friends of Florida, the Florida Conservation Campaign, Audubon Society, Florida Wildlife Federation, Trust for Public Land and The Nature Conservancy. During a tree planting ceremony at the Capitol, the Attorney General spoke about the importance of 4-H’s commitment to teach young people to be leaders in their communities and good stewards of their environment.
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