Colombian Police Take Down Webcam Pornography Extortion Ring

The Anti-kidnapping and Anti-Extortion Directorate (GAULA) of Colombia’s national police in Boyacá, in coordination with the Colombian Attorney General’s office, captured three members of an extortion gang known as ‘Los Cómbita III’ and charged a third person already in prison for to extortion through social networks.

After 10 months of investigation and complaints by 17 victims, prosecutors revealed that the ‘Cómbita III’ gang created false profiles on social networks and pages with sexual content, through which they asked their visitors for personal information and intimate images. They took advantage of both men and women seeking employment as sexual webcam models to demand a “casting” audition from candidates where they had to send photos and videos of a sexual nature.

Physical evidence and testimony led investigators to the Cómbita prison in the Colombian department of Boyacá, where a raid was carried out, leading to charges against a man known as ‘Santiago’, leader of the criminal group, who operating from inside the penitentiary, contacted and deceived victims to later extort them through text messages and intimidating calls, demanding sums between 2-3 million pesos in exchange for not publishing the contents through social networks or accusing the victims of sexual deviancy.

To pressure extortion payments, the criminals sent images to the victims, warning them that an investigation had already been initiated against them by the National Police.

In the municipalities of Caldas (Antioquia), Palmira Valle del Cauca) and Villavicencio, Meta, accomplices known as ‘Martica’, ‘Palma’ and ‘La Gorda’ were captured. The trio were allegedly in charge of withdrawing the money from the consigned extortions through bank branches and money order companies. As a result of their criminal activities, they collected an average of $15,000,000 per month, according to Colombian police.

Photo: Policía Nacional