"Skype Sextortionist" Faces 105 Years In Prison, Allegedly Forced Women To Send Him Thousands Of Nude Photos

Karen 'Gary' Kazaryan is indicted with 15 counts of computer intrusion and 15 counts of aggravated identity theft for stealing women's nude photos and blackmailing them for more.

Authorities found around 3,000 pictures of nude or seminude women, thought to be extortion victims, on Karen 'Gary' Kazaryan's computer. It's estimated he allegedly extorted more than 350 women.

His alleged blackmail process was shockingly simple, but incredibly effective:

Step 1 - Hack into a woman's Facebook, Skype and email accounts.

Step 2 - Change the passwords and lock the victim out of their own accounts. Search emails or other files for naked or semi-naked photos of the victim.

Step 3 - Pose as a friend or lover using personal details from their Facebook profile to persuade them to strip while he watched them on Skype, then capture more images of them.

Step 4 - Blackmail them with the nude photos he had obtained during the Skype chats and force them to send him more nude photos as payment for his silence.

Kazaryan was arrested in 2008 for rape, but the case was dropped for lack of evidence. He now faces up to 105 years in prison if he's convicted on all counts related to his "sextortion" scam.

Skip to footer