tagged w/ Craigslist
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A pregnant 21-year-old found dead with her baby no longer in her womb befriended the woman charged with killing her through Craigslist, her mother said Sunday.
Police said they found Heather M. Snively's body Friday in a crawl space in Korena Elaine Roberts' home in Beaverton, a Portland suburb. They'd been called there because a newborn wasn't breathing. The baby later died.
Roberts told officers she'd recently given birth to the baby boy, said Sgt. David Thompson of the Washington County Sheriff's Office, and both were taken to a hospital. Doctors could not save the baby, and they alerted authorities after determining Roberts had not given birth.
Roberts, 27, was charged with murder in Snively's death and could face charges in the baby's death as well, Thompson said. She was being held without bond and the jail did not list an attorney.
Autopsy results were scheduled to be released Monday and Thompson would not say whether Snively gave birth before she died or the baby was removed. Police have not released a motive for the killing.
'A very trusting person'
Snively's mother, Heidi Kidd of St. Albans, W.Va., said Snively met Roberts a few weeks ago through Craigslist, the online classified service. Roberts told Snively she was pregnant and wanted baby clothes, Kidd said. They befriended one another and kept talking online.
"I guess they decided to meet and I guess that was the wrong thing to do," she said. "But Heather's always been a very trusting person."A pregnant 21-year-old found dead with her baby no longer in her womb befriended the... more
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A North Carolina husband used the online advertising service Craigslist to enlist a man to rape his wife in the couple's home, police said Wednesday.
The 25-year-old Kannapolis man faces first-degree rape and other charges. The Associated Press, which generally does not identify victims of sexual assault, is not naming the man to avoid identifying his wife.
His wife called 911 early Sunday morning and said a man with a knife raped her in the bedroom of their home in Kannapolis, about 25 miles northeast of Charlotte, authorities said. Her husband was in the room, police said. Their two young children were also home, but were unaware of what was happening, authorities said.
The husband sought someone in the ads to come to his home and have sex with his wife using "scare tactics," police said. It was without her knowledge or consent, police said.
Authorities are still investigating the identity of the man who attacked the woman and it wasn't known if the husband paid him to do it. The woman was not seriously injured, but was treated at a hospital and released.
Investigators turned their suspicions to the husband after his statement didn't add up and because there were no signs the attacker broke into the home. The husband was jailed Wednesday on $200,000 bond.
"We share the public's horror that such a crime was committed, and our heart goes out to the victim," said Craigslist spokeswoman Susan MacTavish Best.
The online classified site had been criticized for its "erotic services" section, which Craigslist agreed to do away with last month after a Boston medical student, deemed "the Craigslist killer," was charged with killing a woman he met on the site.
A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced last month to 29 years in prison for raping a woman who advertised in the section.A North Carolina husband used the online advertising service Craigslist to enlist a... more
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It's been a lousy few months for sex on Craigslist. First, 40 state attorneys general banded together to demand that the world's biggest classified site take down its "erotic services" (read: prostitution) ads.*(See correction at the end of this article.) Then, in March, right on cue, a man in New York was murdered by a teenager he met through Craigslist. Soon after, Boston cops arrested Philip Markoff, the med student accused of robbing, and in one case killing, escorts he found through Craigslist. Now South Carolina's attorney general is threatening to prosecute the site's employees.
"Just by being good guys, we've created a culture of trust and fairness," the site's eponymous founder, Craig Newmark, once told Wired. Well, sort of—if you don't count the occasional Jack the Ripper wannabe. Nothing spells "bad PR" like a sex and murder scandal.
If Craigslist were a conventional company, it would have a crisis PR firm gunning the engines to get as far away from sex ads as possible. But Craigslist is not. Many outlets have reported that Craigslist would drop its "erotic services" ads, but this is essentially a fiction. It has only reluctantly agreed to vet ads for explicit prostitution offers (ads that euphemistically offer massage or just leave the details of about what to expect are still OK) and replaced the controversial category with the essentially identical "adult services." Meanwhile, the "casual encounters" section—ads for "no strings attached" sex that are often more lurid than the paid-sex ads in "erotic services"—remains as active and unregulated as ever. And Craigslist has even managed to fan the fires by suing the attorney general of South Carolina.
All of which raises an obvious question: Why do the people behind the 13th most visited site in the United States run ads for prostitution and kink in the first place?It's been a lousy few months for sex on Craigslist. First, 40 state attorneys... more
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SAN FRANCISCO — Craigslist officials announced today they will be adding a new category exclusively for Stalkers and Victims, in an attempt to make their Adult Services section safer for call girls, hookers and erotic masseuses. [more]
--TheSkunk.orgSAN FRANCISCO — Craigslist officials announced today they will be adding a new... more
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COLUMBIA, S.C. - A federal judge has blocked South Carolina's attorney general from prosecuting Craigslist executives for ads that lead to prostitution while the company pursues its lawsuit against the state.
U.S. District Judge Weston Houck ordered Attorney General Henry McMaster on Friday "to refrain from initiating or pursuing any prosecution against Craigslist or its officers" in relation to content posted on the site.
McMaster has garnered headlines by saying he would go after the Internet advertising company for aiding and abetting prostitution if the site leads to a prostitution case in South Carolina.
CEO Jim Buckmaster has filed a federal lawsuit against the prosecutor, claiming McMaster's threat against the company violates executives' constitutional rights.COLUMBIA, S.C. - A federal judge has blocked South Carolina's attorney general... more
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Someone on Craigslist went looking for a friend to shave a hard to reach place. Do you think Ben Hoffman will oblige?
infoMania is a half-hour satirical news show that airs on Current TV. The show puts a comedic spin on the 24-hour chaos and information overload brought about by the constant bombardment of the media. Hosted by Conor Knighton and co-starring Brett Erlich, Sarah Haskins, Ben Hoffman, and Sergio Cilli, the show airs on Thursdays at 10 pm Eastern and Pacific Times and can be found online at http://current.com/infomania/ or on Current TV. And make sure to check out our facebook profile for special features at http://infomaniafacebook.com.Someone on Craigslist went looking for a friend to shave a hard to reach place. Do you... more
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Craigslist's chief executive demanded an apology from South Carolina's attorney general Monday, saying the prosecutor's threat to file prostitution charges against the company was unreasonable and unfair.
Attorney General Henry McMaster threatened last week to prosecute Craigslist executives for aiding and abetting prostitution if an ad on the Web site leads to a prostitution case in South Carolina. The prosecutor has said his office is investigating the ads, but so far no charges have been brought.
San Francisco-based Craigslist has come under closer scrutiny for its "erotic services" category after a Boston-area man was accused of killing a masseuse he met through the Web site. The company has promised to eliminate the category and replace it with a new "adult services" section, where ads will be screened before they are posted.
"Many prominent companies, including AT&T, Microsoft, and Village Voice Media, not to mention major newspapers and other upstanding South Carolina businesses feature more 'adult services' ads than does Craigslist, some of a very graphic nature," Buckmaster wrote in a company blog.Craigslist's chief executive demanded an apology from South Carolina's... more
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Craigslist CEO Jim Buckmaster lashed out in a blog post at South Carolina Attorney General Henry McMaster for threatening to prosecute him and Craigslist founder Craig Newmark.
Buckmaster was responding to McMaster's accusations that Buckmaster, Newmark and Craigslist were engaging in illegal acts. This is the latest chapter in the effort by law enforcement officials from several states and cities to force Craigslist to do more to prevent ads for prostitution from appearing on the site. In an apparent move to placate attorneys general, Craigslist last week announced that it would replace the controversial "erotic section" with a new "adult section" and would not post any ad until it was reviewed by a human.
In his post at Craigslist.org, Buckmaster told McMaster that he was out of line in his claims that the changes at Craigslist didn't go far enough. Buckmaster is apparently indicating he believes the site has done enough to address the problem of prostitution.
(more of the story at http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10243187-93.html)Craigslist CEO Jim Buckmaster lashed out in a blog post at South Carolina Attorney... more
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Craigslist may have banned erotic service ads, but apparently you can still find a prom date on the site. One lucky lass lands a magical night of enchantment with infoMania's Ben Hoffman.
infoMania is a half-hour satirical news show that airs on Current TV. The show puts a comedic spin on the 24-hour chaos and information overload brought about by the constant bombardment of the media. Hosted by Conor Knighton and co-starring Brett Erlich, Sarah Haskins, Ben Hoffman, and Sergio Cilli, the show airs on Thursdays at 10 pm Eastern and Pacific Times and can be found online at http://current.com/infomania/ or on Current TV. And make sure to check out our facebook profile for special features at http://infomaniafacebook.com.Craigslist may have banned erotic service ads, but apparently you can still find a... more
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Online classified site Craigslist will replace its "erotic services" ads with a new adult category following pressure by state authorities after the murder of a masseuse who advertised on the site.
The "erotic services" section will end within seven days and be replaced by an "adult services" category where advertisements will be individually screened by Craigslist staff, Craigslist said in a statement on Wednesday.
The measures could set a precedent for similar sites, said Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, who led a 40-state task-force on Craigslist and campaigned publicly for tighter controls on the San Francisco-based service.
"Closing the erotic services section, a blatant Internet brothel, should lead to other blocking and screening measures, and set a model for other sites, if Craigslist keeps its word," he said.
Craigslist's sex-service listings have faced intense scrutiny since the April 14 murder of 25-year-old masseuse Julissa Brisman, who advertised on Craigslist in Boston.
Philip Markoff, a 23-year-old Boston University medical student, was charged with killing Brisman and with attacks on two other women he met through Craigslist ads.
Craigslist, a 14-year-old online bazaar that generates more than 20 billion page views per month in 50 countries with a staff of just 28 people, is partially owned by online auctioneer eBay, which bought 25 percent in 2004.
Along with free listings for everything from apartments and furniture to jobs and cars, Craigslist.com carries one of the largest and most controversial sex-service listings. Its rapid growth and low-cost business model have hurt newspapers by siphoning away advertising revenue.
Craigslist had already made some changes to curb illegal activity on its site. Under pressure from 40 U.S. attorneys general, the site agreed in November to charge people posting erotic ads $5-$10 by credit card and require them to submit a working phone number to use the site.Online classified site Craigslist will replace its "erotic services" ads... more
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This stunning, Florida ladyboy was arrested in an undercover investigation after posing as a female on Craigslist offering “man rubs” for $200 an hour. Nothing new here–Craigslist is chock full o’ hooker ads. But this dude, whose real name is Arthur Ramos, has been a career Craigslist whore offering hot tranny sex under the name Helen Bedd (HELL-IN-BED, get it?!?!) for the past three years. The best part in this whole thing is that Ramos believes he’s a stand-up guy and an enterprising business man.This stunning, Florida ladyboy was arrested in an undercover investigation after... more
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Caigslist will replace its controversial online "erotic services" listings with a section where ads are individually checked by Craigslist employees before they are posted, according to Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal.
The popular national classified-ad Web site -- which Blumenthal called "a blatant Internet brothel" -- has been accused by law enforcement officials across the United States of promoting prostitution through its erotic ads.
"Craigslist is heeding our clear call for conscience and common sense, sending a strong signal that Internet sites must police themselves to protect others," Blumenthal said.
Craigslist representatives met in New York last week with Blumenthal and the attorneys general of Missouri and Illinois, all of whom asked the company to shut down its "erotic services" sections in their states.
Cook County, Illinois, Sheriff Thomas Dart called Craigslist "the single largest source of prostitution in the nation."Caigslist will replace its controversial online "erotic services" listings... more
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Well, you know how it goes. The world's oldest profession will never cease, even if Craigslist, in an agreement with most U.S. state attorney generals, nixes their "erotic services" category in favor of a monitored "adult" one. This comes amid controversy surrounding the Craigslist Killer incident on the East Coast when a medical student from Boston was charged with killing a masseuse he met off the site. But, as ZDNet Government Richard Koman notes, this move does little to stop violence: "the AGs seem more concerned with protecting morals than lives."Well, you know how it goes. The world's oldest profession will never cease, even... more
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CHICAGO — Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan says that Craigslist is getting rid of its "erotic services" ads and will create a new adult category that Web site employees will review.CHICAGO — Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan says that Craigslist is getting... more
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Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan says that Craigslist is getting rid of its "erotic services" ads and will create a new adult category that Web site employees will review.
Madigan's office said Wednesday that such existing ads on Craigslist will expire in seven days.
Madigan and the attorneys general for Connecticut and Missouri met with Craigslist officials last week seeking an end to ads they contend are advertisements for illegal sexual activities.
An e-mail sent to Craigslist CEO Jim Buckmaster was not immediately returned Wednesday morning.
Craigslist came under renewed pressure to remove the ads after a medical student in Boston was charged with the April killing of a masseuse he met on the site.Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan says that Craigslist is getting rid of its... more
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Today is all about Oprah with Dr. Oz's last appearance and Simon Cowell's announcement of Adam Lambert winning American Idol. Star Trek is the REAL start to the Summer movie season (sorry, Wolvie).
Then there's battles for the future you'd thought you'd never see: Guitar Hero TV vs. The Avengers, Family Guy vs. Addams Family, & Terminator Salvation vs. Transformers Return of the Fallen. Oh yeah and a real life superhero called "Shadowhare".
World Super Hero Registry: http://worldsuperheroregistry.comToday is all about Oprah with Dr. Oz's last appearance and Simon Cowell's... more
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It's one thing for a mother to stick up for her daughter — quite another thing for a mother to retaliate against her daughter's rival by sending sex clients to the rival's mother through a fraudulent Web ad.
Yet that's exactly what one New York mother is accused of doing, following a dispute between her 9-year-old daughter and another girl.
Margery Tannenbaum of Hauppauge on Long Island was charged with aggravated harassment for allegedly posting a classified ad on Craigslist offering sex with men, the Associated Press reports. But whenever someone responded to Tannenbaum's ad by e-mail, she gave out the phone number of the other mother, police said.
Tannenbaum did not answer her door on Friday and her attorney did not respond to telephone calls seeking comment.
The charges echo a high-profile case of a Missouri mother who was convicted last year for her role in a MySpace hoax that led to a 13-year-old committing suicide. In that case, the mother is to be sentenced on May 18 and faces up to three years in prison.It's one thing for a mother to stick up for her daughter — quite another... more
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Okay, I am a craigslist junkie. I am always looking for free and cheap stuff. I stumbled across this ad, which will probably be deleted, but here's the link:
http://huntsville.craigslist.org/wan/1161496038.html
This man claims that he was a former Loss Prevention employee and has since lost his job. He has created a website to accept donations from people for his family.
Now, just out of curiosity, I went and checked this site out. And, while providing a nice story that makes you feel sorry for him and his family- one must wonder if this is a new scam that is taking place? After reading much of the comments, it seems as though this "family man" may be misleading the public and preying on those who have jobs.
I lost my job in January, and still haven't found work. I have been faced with many of the same adversities as him... "over qualified" and "no call backs." But, I would NEVER put myself and my family out there on the internet and beg. Unfortunately, I have even been homeless- for about 3 months. Yes, my home was foreclosed on and with no help from my parents, I had no other options. I slept under piers by the beach or any other place I could find. It was hard, but I survived. But while I was homeless, I never begged anyone for anything. I struggled to get myself out of that situation.
This ad personally pisses me off... sell your computer, digital camera, and save the money from the website... have a yard sale and sale those name brand Hollister clothes your kids are wearing along with the items in your household and you might have enough to get you to Texas! People like this ruin it for the "real" less fortunate who are REALLY struggling to survive.Okay, I am a craigslist junkie. I am always looking for free and cheap stuff. I... more
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Craigslist may face criminal action in South Carolina unless the online classifieds service stops running ads the state says promote prostitution and pornography, the state attorney general's office said Thursday.
Attorney General Henry McMaster said he sent a letter Tuesday to Craigslist CEO Jim Buckmaster asking him to delete categories in the South Carolina section of the site that advertise or solicit these activities.
McMaster gave Buckmaster until 5 p.m. May 15 to remove the material, which primarily includes ads under the "erotic services" category, attorney general spokesman Mark Plowden said Thursday. Some ads under "casual encounters" also are explicit.
Also Tuesday, Craigslist representatives met in New York with attorneys general from Missouri, Connecticut and Illinois, all of whom want Craigslist to shut down its "erotic services" section in their states.
Plowden said Buckmaster hasn't responded to the letter.
"We've heard nothing directly, just some reporting in the news that they are pointing to some reforms that they have attempted to put in place since the November agreement," Plowden said.
Craigslist in November entered into an agreement with more than 40 attorneys general and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to add safeguards to combat unlawful activity and improve public safety.
As part of the reforms, Craigslist agreed to implement credit card verification, assess a fee and require a phone number from people posting "erotic services."
But Plowden, who said that part of the agreement seems to have been implemented, said, "It's not enough."
"Whatever has been done is not working," he said. The explicit ads "seem to be handled as a wink, wink, nudge, nudge."
Buckmaster could not immediately be reached for comment.
Sheriff's deputies in Richland County, South Carolina, have made 121 prostitution-related arrests from Craigslist ads, according to Plowden.
In its "terms of use" section, Craigslist says it is not responsible for ads on its sites:
"You understand that Craigslist does not control, and is not responsible for content made available through the service, and that by using the service, you may be exposed to content that is offensive, indecent, inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise objectionable. Furthermore, the Craigslist site and content available through the service may contain links to other Web sites, which are completely independent of Craigslist."Craigslist may face criminal action in South Carolina unless the online classifieds... more
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