‘Revenge porn’ website operator jailed for 18 years

A man has been jailed in the US for 18 years for operating a “revenge porn” website and charging victims to remove the images.

California attorney general Kamala Harris said that Kevin Bollaert's sentence shows there are severe consequences for exploiting people online.

Bollaert was convicted in February of identity theft and extortion in San Diego Superior Court.

Prosecutors said the San Diego man ran the website ugotposted.com, where people could upload compromising photos of former partners, who then had to pay Bollaert to take down the images.

The photos cost victims their jobs, damaged relationships and led to one attempted suicide.

Prosecutors said Bollaert earned about $30,000 (about €27,500) from people who paid to remove the images.

PA