SELECTED CASE LAW

MANITOBA:

2015 MBPC 50

In 2015 MBPC 50, a young woman, Ms. C, was sentenced to 18-months imprisonment and 2-years’ probation after impersonating public figures online to extort money and nude photos from unsuspecting victims. She was convicted of extortion, threats to cause bodily harm, fraud, and personation. Ms. C pretended to be a professional video game player, an NBA player, and a television actress, and she carried out elaborate and deceptive online schemes. In sentencing Ms. C, the Court noted that:

As technology rapidly develops, so do the opportunities to exploit unsuspecting users, both financially and emotionally. The combination of the global scope and anonymous nature of the internet results in fertile ground for online criminality. It follows that misuse of the internet in circumstances where the offender is able to anonymously manipulate his or her victims should be met with a sentence that places import on deterrence and denunciation.[1]

Ms. C was ordered not to use the Internet, except for educational and employment purposes, during her probationary term. She was sentenced to 18 months of incarceration, two years of probation, 200 hours of community service, along with orders to remain within the jurisdiction, attend counselling, not to use the internet except for educational and employment purposes when supervised by Probation Services, no contact with the victims, and a forfeiture of the nude images and all other items seized.

An appeal of the case was dismissed.


[1] 2015 MBPC 50 at para 40.

 

Criminal Offence(s): Extortion