Aurora teenagers are abuzz over a criminal revenge porn scandal involving students at several area schools. Posts began on Instagram this week asking for money in exchange for explicit photos or the extortion and exploitation of victims of the illicit photos. 

The criminal activity involves at least a dozen victims from Rangeview, with estimates nearing 100 victims across the Aurora area, including multiple schools and districts. Multiple Instagram accounts have posted the explicit images of both minor and adult victims (18+) without consent. 

As of now, Instagram has not taken any actions to remove the posts or accounts, despite a multitude of user reports. 

Multiple accounts sharing images and videos have passed 2,000 followers as of 1:00 PM Wednesday. The number of followers, views, and story posts continue to grow. 

The activity suggests a level of sophistication that is indicative of extensive planning and the involvement of multiple parties. It is uncertain until further details emerge, but the crimes could constitute an organized child pornography ring.

In 2014 Colorado passed its first revenge porn laws, and have been strengthening them since 2018. ‘Revenge porn’ or ‘cyber rape’ occurs when intimate images that were previously sent with permission are leaked to a wider audience without consent. 

The Aurora Police Department and multiple high schools were already investigating as the school day progressed, “Before you tell anyone, tell law enforcement,” said officer Mike Dziurgot. 

With victim cooperation, the perpetrator(s) are more likely to face jail time and become registered sex offenders according to Dziurgot. Allegedly one victim has already obtained legal services.

The accounts have requested anywhere from $5 to $25 to remove the images. One account also asked for $10 to be added to their “Close Friends List”, where they would be able to see the uncensored photos. They also offered to pay anyone who would send them illicit images. The perpetrators asked for money through Cash App and Apple Pay. 

“This is a terrible thing for someone to do, but this is also a testament that you shouldn’t take compromising photos of yourself because you never know if they can use those against you. This is a prime example,” said Dean of Students DeLisha Boyd.

One in 25 Americans have been a victim of threats or posts of nearly nude or nude images without their permission, according to the Center for Innovative Public Health Research. 

There is extreme danger in revenge porn and sextortion. A recent study found that over half of victims have suicidal ideations. “All I can say [is], to the kids out there that feel like I did this morning, wanting to die or even hurt themselves, is — don’t,” an underage California victim of revenge porn told CBS. 

One student victim had a fake illicit photo of them shared, possibly generated by AI or digitally edited. The fake photo was later taken down. Regardless, this leaves room for trepidation regarding AI deep fakes. 

While districts are tackling concerns with Artificial Intelligence, there are still minimal protections of AI outside of schools. Artificial Intelligence deep fakes have also become an issue as “a teenage victim of non consensual sexually explicit deep fakes joined Rep. Joe Morelle, D-N.Y., on Tuesday to advocate for a bipartisan bill that would criminalize sharing such material at the federal level.” 

Instagram is reportedly a haven for child pornography according to investigations by The Wall Street Journal and researchers at Stanford University and the University of Massachusetts Amherst, “Instagram, the popular social-media site owned by Platforms, helps connect and promote a vast network of accounts openly devoted to the commission and purchase of underage-sex content.” 

This is a developing story, stay updated through the Raider Review’s coverage.

If you know anything or are a victim of these crimes please contact the Aurora Police Department at 303-627-3100, a Rangeview Dean or Administrator, or Safe2Tell. 

If you see any sexually explicit images or videos of minors on the web, please report it at one of the following, available 24/7: cybertip.org, or call 1-800-843-5678.

If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, please visit the Colorado Crisis Center located at 2206 Victor Street in Aurora. You can also call at 303-617-2300. Both are available anytime, and services are free.