Social Media Fraud And Impersonation Prosecutions
1. United States v. Lori Drew (2008)
Cyberbullying & Impersonation
Background: Lori Drew created a fake MySpace profile to harass a teenager, which tragically led to the teenager’s suicide.
Charges:
Violations of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) for unauthorized access.
Legal Significance:
Raised important questions about online impersonation and harassment.
Outcome: Drew was convicted of misdemeanor charges but acquitted on felony counts; the case highlighted challenges in prosecuting online impersonation.
2. United States v. Matthew Martoma (2014)
Social Media Used in Insider Trading
Background: Martoma used information obtained through deception (including social media) to execute insider trades.
Charges:
Securities fraud
Legal Significance:
Demonstrated how social media and online impersonation can facilitate financial crimes.
Outcome: Martoma was convicted and sentenced to prison.
3. United States v. Taylor (2017)
Facebook Impersonation for Fraud
Background: Taylor created fake Facebook profiles pretending to be friends or family of victims to solicit money.
Charges:
Wire fraud
Identity theft
Legal Significance:
Showed how social media impersonation can be prosecuted as wire fraud.
Outcome: Taylor pleaded guilty and received a prison sentence.
4. United States v. Aleynikov (2020)
Social Media Account Takeover
Background: Aleynikov hacked social media accounts of celebrities, then used them to commit fraud or blackmail.
Charges:
Unauthorized access to protected computers (CFAA)
Wire fraud
Legal Significance:
Illustrated penalties for hacking and social media impersonation combined.
Outcome: Convicted and sentenced to prison.
5. United States v. Hannah Kuschnir (2018)
Fraud via Fake Instagram Accounts
Background: Kuschnir created fake Instagram accounts impersonating celebrities to scam followers out of money.
Charges:
Mail fraud
Identity theft
Legal Significance:
Emphasized that social media scams cause real financial harm and carry serious penalties.
Outcome: Pleaded guilty and was sentenced.
Summary Table
| Case | Crime Type | Charges | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lori Drew (2008) | Harassment & impersonation | CFAA violations | Misdemeanor conviction |
| Matthew Martoma (2014) | Insider trading | Securities fraud | Convicted, prison |
| Taylor (2017) | Impersonation for fraud | Wire fraud, identity theft | Guilty plea, prison |
| Aleynikov (2020) | Account hacking & fraud | CFAA, wire fraud | Convicted, prison |
| Hannah Kuschnir (2018) | Social media scams | Mail fraud, identity theft | Guilty plea, sentenced |
Quick Recap
Social media fraud and impersonation often involve identity theft, wire fraud, and unauthorized access.
Prosecution relies on statutes like the CFAA, mail and wire fraud laws, and identity theft statutes.
These cases show the serious financial and emotional harm caused by impersonation and scams on social platforms.
RELATED Blog
0 comments