All articles tagged with #extortion
Five severed heads were hung on posts at Puerto López beach in Ecuador with a message threatening extortion by gangs, illustrating a spike in violence tied to drug-cartel activity; authorities note a record homicide rate in 2025 and ongoing government efforts, as gangs operate across Colombia and Peru transit routes.
The TLC docuseries 'The Cult of the Real Housewife' investigates allegations that Mary Cosby and her husband manipulated church members into financial extortion and engaged in misconduct, contrasting her church leadership with her reality TV persona, and exploring the influence of social media and cult dynamics.
Two U.S. cybersecurity professionals, Ryan Goldberg and Kevin Martin, pleaded guilty to conspiring with the ransomware gang ALPHV Blackcat to extort American companies, facing up to 20 years in prison, highlighting concerns about insider threats in the digital protection industry.
The leader of lime growers in Michoacan, Bernardo Bravo, was murdered after publicly denouncing cartel extortion, highlighting ongoing violence and criminal influence over agricultural sectors in Mexico.
The leader of lime growers in Michoacan, Bernardo Bravo, was murdered after publicly denouncing extortion by organized crime groups, highlighting ongoing violence and criminal influence over agricultural industries in the region.
A rental car company owner was sentenced to eight months in prison and probation for blackmailing an idol couple with footage of their physical intimacy, demanding and receiving nearly $7,000 in extorted money, despite having prior probation and showing remorse.
A cybercrime group called Scattered LAPSUS$ Hunters has reemerged, demanding nearly $1 billion to prevent the leak of about 1 billion Salesforce records, despite previous arrests and claims of retirement. The group has listed compromised Salesforce environments and issued a deadline for payment, but Salesforce and security experts state there is no evidence of a platform breach. The incident follows past attacks involving OAuth token abuse and collaborative efforts among multiple cyber gangs, with law enforcement arresting several teens linked to these activities.
An extortion group called ShinyHunters, along with associated groups, has launched a website leaking data from 39 companies affected by Salesforce breaches, threatening to release personal data unless ransom demands are met. The attacks involved voice phishing and OAuth token theft, impacting major corporations like Google, Disney, and IKEA, with the group warning of further extortion campaigns.
Charlie Sheen publicly admits to being a sex addict who was extorted by partners during his drug abuse years, discusses his HIV diagnosis, and shares his journey to sobriety and personal growth in his new memoir, 'The Book of Sheen.'
Six men in New Delhi were arrested for running a fake police bureau, extorting money from victims by forging documents, claiming international police affiliations, and operating for over two weeks, with authorities recovering various fake official items.
Six men in New Delhi were arrested for running a fake international police bureau, extorting money from victims by pretending to be police officials and claiming international affiliations, using forged documents and fake logos. The operation lasted over two weeks and involved the use of a rented office decorated with police-like symbols. This incident follows a recent case of a fake embassy scam near New Delhi.
Suffolk County Sheriff Steven Tompkins was indicted on federal charges of extortion related to a cannabis company's equity interest, allegedly using his official position to benefit personally, including a $50,000 investment and subsequent refund, with potential sentences up to 20 years in prison.
A scandal in Thailand involves at least nine monks disrobed after being extorted by Wilawan Emsawat, who seduced them and used videos and photos for blackmail, leading to arrests, disrobing of monks, and calls for legal reforms in Buddhist institutions.
Justin Baldoni's $400 million lawsuit against Blake Lively was partially dismissed, with only the defamation claims thrown out, allowing him to amend other claims. Lively claims victory, but Baldoni's team disputes this, emphasizing ongoing legal battles over allegations of sexual harassment, defamation, and extortion. The case remains complex, with further legal actions anticipated.
A cybercriminal group called UNC6040 has targeted around 20 organizations across various sectors in the Americas and Europe using fake IT support calls to trick employees into installing malicious versions of Salesforce's Data Loader, leading to data theft and extortion. The group employs voice-phishing tactics, impersonating IT support to gain access to Salesforce and other platforms, with some attacks resulting in long-term data exfiltration and potential partnerships with other threat actors. Salesforce has issued guidance on protecting against such social engineering attacks.