The operator of what has been called the Internet’s best-known revenge porn site pleaded guilty to identity theft and computer hacking charges Wednesday, and faces at least two years in prison, federal prosecutors said.
Hunter Moore, 28, of Woodland, Calif. — who has been called "the most hated man on the Internet" — formally entered a guilty plea to one count each of unauthorized access to a protected computer and one count of aggravated identity theft.
Moore paid another man to break into email accounts and provide him with nude photos, which he then posted on his website, prosecutors said. He faces a mandatory minimum of two years and up to seven years in prison, the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California said in a statement. He will be sentenced on June 24.
Moore agreed last week to take the plea deal. Under the plea agreement, once he is released from prison all of his future online activities will be monitored. He'll have to register devices capable of accessing the internet with his probation officer, agree to have those devices searched, and agree not to encrypt any files without permission, according to the document.
The man accused of hacking into email accounts for pay, Charles Evens, 26, of Studio City, Calif., is charged with 15 federal counts and will go on trial March 17. Prosecutors say he broke into hundreds of email accounts.
IN-DEPTH
- Revenge Porn Kingpin Hunter Moore Agrees to Guilty Plea
- 'Revenge Porn' Hackers Stole Nude Photos, Feds Say
