The alleged international porn ring mastermind from Grahamstown, facing charges of possessing, manufacturing and distributing child pornography, is highly skilled in IT.
The alleged international porn ring mastermind from Grahamstown, facing charges of possessing, manufacturing and distributing child pornography, is highly skilled in IT.
This is according to an indictment against the 53-year-old business man.
The man and his alleged conspirators assumed different roles in an international porn syndicate, each according to his own expertise, the indictment says.
While the accused was skilled in IT, others were experts in recruting new victims, the document says.
According to the indictment, the accused supported porn websites from Grahamstown, by providing software and technical support, including contributing financially to the renting of the website by paying for it with his American Express card linked to his South African Nedbank account.
The indictment, now a public document, unmasks the accused by divulging personal information, as well as details of his personality and character.
The accused is a married father of three and admits that he is addicted to child ponorgraphy which he accessed via the internet. After early retirement three years ago, the accused spent his time indulging this obsession at night and would often sleep during the day to catch up on lost sleep, the document says.
The court case aginst the man was transfered to the Eastern Cape High Court for today (Friday).
The B&B owner appeared briefly in the Magistrate's Court in Grahamstown on Tuesday 26 May. Magistrate Cyril Strauss transferred the case to the high court in Grahamstown for negotiations for a plea and sentencing agreement.
In a telephone interview with Grocott's Mail, Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, Johan Bezuidenhout, said the case was transferred to the high court for finalisation.
The suspect appeared briefly in the Magistrate's Court in Grahamstown on Wednesday 29 April. He was not asked to plead.
The man was arrested in Grahamstown on Wednesday 11 March in a joint raid by local police and the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The man is alleged to be the kingpin of an international porn ring, wanted by the FBI for extradition to the United States.
