Ohio man, Gregory Kasarcik charged, with 'sextortion' of Arvada girl via Skype, authorities say

Alan Gathright wrote this article for abc7

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. - An Ohio man has been charged with three felonies for sexually extorting a 13-year-old Arvada girl over the Internet from 1,300 miles away, the Jefferson County District Attorney's Office said Wednesday.

The man investigators are calling a "sextortion" suspect, Gregory Scott Kasarcik, 24, of Ripley, Ohio, has been extradited to Colorado.

He appeared March 5 in Jefferson County court, where he was advised of the charges against him -- sexual exploitation, Internet sexual exploitation and criminal exploitation, said Pam Russell, spokeswoman for the Jefferson County District Attorney's Office.

Arvada police were called on Jan. 2 by a woman who said two traumatized neighbor girls -- sisters, ages 13 and 16 -- had come to her door crying about something that had happened on the computer. The teens were babysitters for the neighbor and their mom was at work. 

The 13-year-old girl had met Gregory Kasarcik on a teen social website called SceneKids. His profile claimed that he was a 15-year-old boy, according to an arrest affidavit. Kasarcik used the screen name "ericfringe2" and profile photo showing a shirtless white male with long hair, the affidavit said.

Kasarcik used the pretense that he needed the girl's help solving a camera problem to get her to move from the SceneKids website to a "live" camera Skype session, according to the affidavit.

Suddenly, the man was sending texts demanding that she take off her clothes. The girl refused, but the man said he had her IP address and would blow up the new laptop that her grandparents just had given her for Christmas, the affidavit said. Her grandmother had specifically instructed the girl to take care of the laptop and not damage it.

The frightened girl took off her clothes.

The man ordered her to perform sex acts on camera and, when the girl refused, he threatened to post her nude photographs on the Internet, the affidavit said. The traumatized girl gave in to the man's repeated threats, lying nude on her bed in front of the laptop camera, performing explicit sexual acts.

Eventually, the 13 year old turned off the camera and turned to her 16-year-old sister for help. The older sister texted  "ericfringe2" via Skype, warning him that she would call police if he posted her little sister's nude photos on the Internet.

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Ohio man accused in sextortion of Arvada teen

An article by Laurie Cipriano, KUSA A man had access into the bedroom of a Colorado teen – through a computer.

Investigators say it's sextortion.

It's their word for the threat allegedly leveled against a 8th grade girl by an online predator in another state.

Greg Kasarcik, 24, who lives in Ohio, has been arrested and extradited to Jefferson County.

He's charged with the online sexual exploitation of a girl from Arvada.

Kasarcik is charged with three felony counts for sexually extorting the middle school girlL Sexual Exploitation, Internet Sexual Exploitation, and Criminal Extortion.

Police believe Kasarcik used a threat to get his way.

Jefferson County District Attorney Peter Weir said Kasarcik was fishing for a victim.

Court documents say Kasarcik met the teen in a chat room. Under the screen name "ericfringe2" he told her he was 15 years old - and convinced the her to take the conversation to Skype.

While 'Skyping,' Kasarcik is accused of coaxing the girl to undress and perform a sex act.

To get what he wanted - internet records of 300 pages of his chat activity, show Kasarcik reverted to a method he's used before. Records of other online conversations Kasarcik had supported probable cause in the Arvada teen's case.

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Samsung Smart TV’s have SERIOUS SECURITY HOLES!

CBS NEWS reporter Chenda Ngak did an interview  with Aaron Grattafiori who is the Senior Security Engineer, at iSEC about the security holes in the Samsung Smart TV.  Because the TV is built on the Leniux platform there are a lot of wholes because of the apps available.  Josh Yavor another Security Engineer with iSEC used the SKYPE text messaging application to send java script that enabled him to take over the TV.  Josh demonstrates how they trick a person to click on an advertisement which runs code behind the screens and then turns on the camera without the user knowing. 

The only protection is for the users to upload a security patch to their TV.  Now how many people are going to do this? 

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Chuck Schumer wants to stop Smart TV Webcam Spying

U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer of New York is calling on major television manufacturers to come up with a uniform standard of security to be used in all new internet and video-enabled televisions that would prevent hackers from spying on consumers.

The new so-called “smart TV’s” feature embedded cameras and microphones like the ones found in new laptop and netbook computers. The sets are sold in stores as “internet ready,” and the devices they contain are capable of being remotely activated.  Therefore, as Schumer says, your TV may be watching YOU!

Schumer wants manufacturers to establish a uniform security standard that would be followed industry-wide. The average consumer is unaware that computer-networked appliances can be hacked. Security researchers found one brand to be particularly vulnerable: they were able to hijack the set's web browser in certain models of Samsung Smart TVs and use it to turn on the built-in-camera.

Greg McNeal is a law professor at Pepperdine University in California. He warns civil liberties may be violated if police or government officials use your TV to  pry into your private life. McNeal uses old-school technology to thwart electronic peeping toms: he puts a piece of tape over the camera on his laptop when he's not on Skype.

Schumer argues the burden shouldn't be on the consumer to use tape or a sticker like McNeal does, nor should set owners follow one manufacturer’s suggestion that to combat hackers, the TV should be unplugged when not in use.

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Microsoft Version of WebRTC

Microsoft, is not on the WebRTC standard path as promoted by their competitors.  Firefox, Opera, and Chrome have already implemented some level of WebRTC as a plug-in for free in their browser thus enabling Webcam Chat.  Microsoft wants to embed Skype into the browser and use their standard called CU-RTC-Web to fix issues they have identified.  As to be expected this move by Microsoft would give more per-to-per control it also comes along with finical incentive.  This could be an uphill battle for Microsoft since the W3C has already adopted the WebRTC standard.  

Either standard that the W3C agrees on will ultimately open the window for more webcam spying.

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