A Newton, Massachusetts man was arrested last night on charges of cyberstalking his former roommate in a disturbing case that involved hacking, online harassment, and the distribution of private photographs.
Ryan S. Lin, 24, was charged with one count of cyberstalking and will appear in U.S. District Court in Boston later today for an initial appearance.
The investigation, led by the FBI’s Boston Field Office and the Waltham Police Department, revealed that Lin carried out a relentless cyberstalking campaign against the 24-year-old woman, her family, friends, and institutions associated with her, including local schools and her workplace.
According to the allegations, Lin hacked into the victim’s electronic devices and online accounts, stealing private photographs, personally identifiable information, and private journal entries that contained highly sensitive details about her medical, psychological, and sexual history.
Liners also allegedly distributed the victim’s private photographs and journal entries to hundreds of others, and created and posted fraudulent online profiles in the victim’s name with her photographs and home address.
“Those who think they can use the Internet to terrorize people and hide behind the anonymity of the net and outwit law enforcement should think again,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco. “The Justice Department will be relentless in its efforts to identify, arrest, prosecute, and punish the perpetrators of these horrendous acts and seek justice on behalf of their victims.”
The investigation is ongoing, and officials are urging anyone with information to come forward.
The defendant:
Ryan S. Lin, 24, of Newton, Massachusetts
The charges:
One count of cyberstalking
The city and state:
Newton, Massachusetts
The date:
April 2016 (start of the cyberstalking campaign) and ongoing
The sentence:
Lin will appear in U.S. District Court in Boston later today for an initial appearance
Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Category: Cybercrime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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