Cyberstalking Charge for NY Man
A New York man, Anthony Belford, has been charged with cyberstalking after allegedly sharing AI-generated nude images and fabricated racist messages to harass a Georgia college student. Belford, 21, was arraigned on June 10 after a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging him with one count of cyberstalking.
Belford and the victim had attended the same college during the 2023-2024 academic year. After the victim transferred to a Georgia college in August 2024, Belford allegedly began targeting the victim there. Between January and March 2025, Belford created fake social media profiles, including Instagram, LinkedIn, Reddit, X, Strava, and Yahoo accounts, to impersonate the victim and distribute AI-generated nude images and spread false claims that the victim had made racist remarks.
Alleged Harassment
According to court documents, Belford created a fake LinkedIn profile using an AI-generated nude image of the victim as its profile picture. He also used a spoofed Yahoo email account to send an AI-generated nude image of the victim to the victim's mother. The defendant allegedly targeted the victim while attending the same college in the 2023-2024 academic year, but continued doing so even after the victim transferred to a Georgia college.
U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg stated,
Belford allegedly waged a lengthy online campaign, hiding behind spoofed social media and email accounts to harass, intimidate, and cause substantial distress to his victim with racist messages and AI-generated nude images. Cyberstalking and other forms of online abuse, just like physical violence, can ruin lives and disrupt communities.
Justice Department Response
The Justice Department added that federal law prohibits sharing or threatening to share intimate images (including AI-generated ones) without consent. The department urged victims to report violations to the FBI and to alert the Federal Trade Commission if online platforms fail to remove such content within 48 hours of a removal request. More information on how to protect yourself from cyberstalking attempts and stop the spread of images and videos shared online without consent is available on the FTC's Take It Down platform.
In related cases, 22-year-old Jamarcus Mosley from Alabama pleaded guilty to cyberstalking, extortion, and computer fraud charges after hacking into the social media accounts of hundreds of young women. Additionally, 26-year-old Kyle Svara from Illinois pleaded guilty to hacking nearly 600 women's Snapchat accounts to steal private nude photos that were later traded or sold online.
Prevention and Protection
To protect yourself from cyberstalking attempts, it is essential to be aware of the risks and take steps to secure your online presence. This includes being cautious when sharing personal information online, using strong passwords, and monitoring your social media accounts for suspicious activity. If you are a victim of cyberstalking, do not hesitate to report it to the authorities and seek support from trusted individuals or organizations.
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Source: BleepingComputer