Defendant’s Despicable Acts Uncover a Harrowing Reality in the Art World

LOS ANGELES – The grimy underbelly of the art world has been exposed once more, as Jason White, 43, of Temecula, California, was taken into custody today on federal cyberstalking charges.

According to a complaint filed by federal prosecutors, White allegedly stalked, harassed, and attempted to extort several art world professionals after their business relationships ended. This heinous scheme involved the creation of derogatory websites about his former associates, followed by threatening emails demanding hundreds of thousands of dollars to take down the websites.

The complaint details how White repeatedly made extortionate demands through harassing text messages and emails, and when his demands were not met, he threatened violence. In one particularly chilling instance, White targeted his former employer and supervisor at the art publisher’s company, creating websites with derogatory information and sending threatening text messages, including one that read, ‘it will be very unfortunate if something was to happen to him.’

Further investigation revealed that White had obtained pictures of his former supervisor’s child and sent them to the victim with ominous comments. His sinister plan was to extort money from the victims in exchange for taking down the websites, claiming that their business reputation would be ruined and that his websites would forever appear in search results.

Late last month, White allegedly posted a picture of himself on the Facebook page of a well-known artist, stating that he was focusing on the artist’s wife and child. In a heart-stopping message, White wrote, ‘your children are my end game.’

An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court. The case against White is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Art Crime Team.

The grim implications of this case serve as a stark reminder of the dangers that lurk in the shadows of the art world. As this investigation unfolds, Grimy Times will continue to follow the developments and bring you the latest updates.

Release No. 14-022

Jason White, 43, of Temecula, is expected to make his initial appearance this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.

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