Contact Me

Part 1

When internet pioneer Aaron Swartz committed suicide last month it brought cyber crime into sharp view.  The twenty-six year-old had reportedly succumbed to the stress of the federal charges against him, which carried a possible 30 year sentence.

Swartz was charged with various crimes that included online fraud and theft involving the mass downloading of public files and distributing them for free.

However, there is no indication Swartz ever maliciously targeted a specific person or physically endangered anyone. His activities as a cyber expert seemed to have fallen under what is commonly viewed as criminal mischief.

But what about cyber experts that do in fact wish to harm others? What about internet specialists that organize themselves; to commit crimes, destroy property, reputations, and lives?

In January of this year a Web hacktavist deployed a virus into the Chief of Police’s computer in Steubenville, Ohio. In a connected event at the county government level, threats were made to murder the Jefferson County Sheriff’s family and rape his daughters.

A few weeks later a Web activist group took over a computer at the Justice Department.

Indeed, the Web has developed its own underworld.

Of course, we have seen national headlines of stories detailing cyber bullying and rampant abuse of social networking by impulsive and malicious individuals that allow disputes and petty-mindedness to snowball until serious problems are created.

But the true and full destructive capability of criminals using the Web is not captured within the simple word “bullying.” The true threat is created when organization occurs between like-minded individuals to plan and advance criminal operations.

An example of this is the North American Man-Boy Love Association (NAMBLA). This underworld group is a prime example of the World Wide Web coupling up with pure evil on a socially and morally destructive level. NAMBLA uses the Web to share tips, ideas, and exchange information about committing sex crimes against children; all under the pretence of the First Amendment.

NAMBLA serves as a model, which demonstrates that although something may appear to be a first amendment issue, there are circumstances when organization has taken place, which has resulted in illegal objectives being realized.

One might ponder a hypothetical scenario to better understand the danger of this type of organizing, and how the original online criminal has morphed into a Hybrid of its former self. Envision a website that publishes pornographic photographs of adults in accordance with the rules set forth under state and federal law. Under the protections of the First Amendment the content is legal. Now imagine the site has a link to a Web page that contains photographs of real people and a bio for each person. The photos are published without the victim’s knowledge. Provided is the person’s name, age, address, telephone number, daily habits of each person, etc. In one anonymous submission the publisher alerts the reader that the woman in the photo is wheelchair bound and is visited by UPS regularly.

The Web page is called ‘Rape Me.’ 

Yeah - not so funny in a world full of creeps.

Online criminal organization has long since gone around the corner and spawned these Hybrids. If one believes an organization such as NAMBLA is destructive to the fabric of a civilized society, one might imagine the nightmare scenarios created by its enhanced version. 

The previous example was one out of a thousand that show how the Web can be used to harass and terrorize. But as is the case with traditional organized crime, the players involved in a Hybrid version, do not keep their activities limited to a smoky back room. The Hybrid reaches out to people beyond their computer screen.

Cyber assaults such as those in Steubenville and the Justice Department are beginning to illuminate this scary reality. These criminals are not satisfied with the online version of their sick game. They are mentally disturbed and begin to reach out to their victims.

As you will see further on in this piece, the Hybrid contains active players that go in disguise of perceived wealth, professional licenses, and college degrees. And much like the Mob of the old days, they reach out to protect their racket. They will contact police officers, prosecuting attorneys, and court officials to gain an inside route for legal issues that are certain to come up.

Today’s online criminal organization isn’t the Mob of yesterday.
In Part 2 we will look at the hybrid and examine how this form of criminal has integrated the Web and media into its activities in a modernization of an international criminal enterprise.

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Part 2

What you are about to learn is information prepared by an investigative author (Timothy Charles Holmseth) that has been the victim of online gang-stalking, extortion, blackmail, and death threats for nearly four years.

The information presented here is based upon documented experiences, supported by recorded interviews, sworn affidavits, public records, private records, court files, police reports, medical records, etc.

The Hybrid

1. Media  

1. Web Development
2. Hacking
3. Television
4. Online Stalking

2. Legal

1. Law Enforcement Officers (Willing and Un-Willing)
2. Private Investigators
3. Attorneys
4. Social Services / Child Protective Services

3. Actors/Impersonators

1. Priest
2. Law Enforcement
3. Social Services
4. Volunteers
5. Misc.

The most important thing to understand about the hybrid is that its participants are not restricted to one single area or function. The players can and will move from one area of operation to another – they are interchangeable and migrate from function to function.

He/she will switch their professed religion, belief system, marital status, address, and/or name. Truth is a concept that is completely irrelevant.
The hybrid online criminal enterprise is set into motion when a high profile catalyst event takes place. The hybrid may be actively involved in the planning, or simply hijack an ongoing dramatic event that has achieved high media.

For purposes of this example, the catalyst event will be the ‘apparent’ kidnapping of a small child, which quickly generates an Amber Alert. In this example the kidnapping is a staged event.

The Amber Alert is a government action initiated by law enforcement when specific requirements surrounding a child’s disappearance have been met. One could also theorize that, where sales and marketing is concerned, it is the best form of advertisement in existence for someone profiting from ‘missing children.’

The primary mission of the hybrid is to cloud, obfuscate, and confuse the facts and circumstances surrounding the catalyst event. This involves publishing disinformation about the kidnapping at a variety of levels. It is imperative those involved in the kidnapping do not get caught; evasion of exposure takes priority over all.

The secondary goal is to achieve financial gain per the media exposure generated by the event. This can be accomplished by participants soliciting and obtaining donations from the public under a myriad of false pretences. Websites and donation scams are the most common, although t-shirts, bracelets, and trinkets can result in significant revenue. There have been instances when dolls have been made of a missing child as the hybrid attempts to create ‘characters.’  

The remaining task is to perpetually monitor, track, stalk, discredit, and silence witnesses.

So, what does the Hybrid look like when it is in full operation? Well, actually, the American public has observed it in action many times without realizing what they were watching.

A prime example of this occurring would be the Nancy Grace program on HLN. For visual reference to this discussion, simply visit You Tube where you will find hundreds of examples by entering key words.
Nancy Grace has nearly perfected the sick and twisted art of ‘infotainment.’ Comprised of shock-talk, scrolling banners, harrowing 911 recordings, staged arguments, and contrived debates, the program is a parody of a credible news broadcast.

But, people watch; often not realizing what it is they are seeing. Captivated by the thoughts, images, and information they have begun to crave regarding a subject, a persons understanding of reality is formed by quick sound bites that contain more ‘lye’ than a bar of soap.

To achieve a better understanding, we will look at an example using facts and circumstances that are true in fact. Public records regarding much of this can be obtained from the City of East Grand Forks – Minnesota.

As you begin to absorb the information, you will begin to realize you have seen the hybrid in action with your own two eyes.

Art Harris, formerly of CNN, is an example of a charlatan ‘investigative journalist’ that appeared on the HLN network with Nancy Grace.
Art Harris is an occasional guest on Nancy Grace that is introduced as a two-time Emmy award winning journalist. This introduction gives him instant credibility with anyone foolish enough to think Nancy Grace is credible.

It is necessary to examine Art Harris very closely.

A former business associate, no longer affiliated with Art Harris, disclosed interesting information about his journalistic past. According to the source, Harris was abruptly kicked out of Iraq during the first Gulf War for jeopardizing the lives of American troops. He was fired from CNN. The Emmy awards he boasts about were presented to a CNN media team, of which Harris was a member.

His tabloid writing career is riddled with lawsuits involving the accuracy of his reporting.  

It is important to examine and be ever-mindful how a person’s professional title and claimed accomplishments can influence one’s perception. Remember, Bernie Madoff told people he was a stockbroker and investment advisor who was going to help invest their money so they could have a nice retirement.

In 2009, Art Harris appeared on Nancy Grace under the guise he was an investigative reporter covering the disappearance of HaLeigh Ann-Marie Cummings.

Nancy Grace introduced Harris as being on location in Satsuma, Florida. In reality, Harris was only on location for about a week, and was the paid media consultant and private web publisher for the mother of the missing child, Crystal Sheffield.

According to the private investigator that paid Harris; the money he brought to the table was loaned from a former drug dealer in Miami. And what did Harris bring to the table? He brought television exposure on Nancy Grace.

Art Harris partnered with Nancy Grace to advertise his personal website, which was used to publish information that advanced the interests of the missing child’s mother.

Harris worked with a private investigator to craft misleading stories, which were then delivered in on-air reports to Nancy Grace, for the express purpose of casting suspicion on innocent individuals amidst the search for HaLeigh Cummings. He purposely spread disinformation that would cause people to think the missing child was dead, while re-directing public attention away from his client.

He was a propagandist; not a reporter.

You have begun to see how the hybrid operates. It is calculated, insidious, and deceptive.

In 2009, HaLeigh’s grandmother, Teresa Neves, contacted me through her family advocate. Neves wanted me to expose a Photoshopped picture of HaLeigh that was being used to solicit cash donations. Annette Sykes, HaLeigh’s great-grandmother, also spoke to me of her anger about the situation.

I interviewed two Photoshop experts and published a story about the edited photograph, which was faked to create the false appearance she was posing with her mother.

As you will see, I had opened Pandora’s Box and the hybrid online criminal community came spilling out in all directions.

Holding evidence they obtained from my journalistic investigation, the Jacksonville FBI visited a public relations company in Florida to interview a woman that had passed the fake photo through their businesses email account.

Art Harris contacted the local police in East Grand Forks, Minnesota. He was throwing around the name of CNN and police records show he was seeking my (unlawful) arrest.

Harris told local police the woman that the FBI interviewed was his friend and declared he was outraged. Interestingly, the woman interviewed by the FBI called the local police department on me as well. Now, this is interesting, because the FBI sought me out later for more information.

Later in this series we will examine the ‘law enforcement’ aspect of the hybrid.

Pandora’s Box was open – people that didn’t want to deal with the feds were melting the telephone lines at a local police department - and a strange sense of bartering appeared to be in play.

In Part 3 we will examine the ‘business plan’ of organized crime, analyze how it has morphed, and look at case-study of new-age public corruption.

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February 19, 2013

Part 3

The Mob of tradition enforced its demands and oppressed its victims using strong-arm tactics that typically involved physical violence or malicious expensive property damage. Essentially, a victim would either comply with expectations, or Mob goons would visit them. The goons would ‘send a message’ with increasing severity until capitulation was the only logical option for the victim.

The ugly part of the Mob is ingrained into the business plan. An organized criminal enterprise needs enforcement power or it will simply fail to exist. If victims even believe they can resist – many will. The ability to oppress and enforce is absolutely necessary. There are no ‘nice’ mobsters when it comes down to it.

Although an aggressive form of coercion is common to all forms of organized crime, the business plan of extortion itself has fundamentally changed, where the hybrid network is concerned. While the old Mob claimed ownership to specific business districts and outer geographical regions, the hybrid online criminal network is not limited to a select area, region, or state; not even a country.

Essentially, the hybrid criminal sees crime more like a project and there are no traditional limits or territories.

A good example, for purposes of comparison, is drug-dealing. It is relatively easy to understand the process of how the cocaine makes its way from the fields to the addict’s nose, and how everybody along the way gets a cut of the profit. It is also easy to understand why drug dealers at the street level are often found gunned down on some corner; territory is worth money.

However, it is different for the hybrid criminal online. He/she can commit crimes anywhere in the world because the Web is the primary enforcement tool.

It is notable that the traditional Mob and urban drug dealers of today run ‘all cash’ businesses. Essentially, that’s what it’s all about. It is about forcing victims to surrender cash, or, purchase addictive drugs and narcotics at an inflated price. But the traditional organized crime business plan is somewhat outdated for purposes of new age crime being committed by the hybrid criminal

Of course, there are many vice products that are merchandised (as opposed to drugs), with human babies being the most lucrative product to traffic, after cost-risk analysis. However, we have focused on drug dealing here, to discuss the concept of territory.

In this new age, money and assets are constantly being moved around the globe.  It will be this entire concept that becomes the beating heart of the hybrid’s profitability.

What does that mean? It means this…

Wealth and value are often valid right down to the crispy greenback dollar. But wealth can also be a simple matter of perception, and currency can sometimes be – well – complete bullshit – a valuable commodity is the ability to fool the masses.

Fraud – scam – hoax – hoodwink; call it what you will.

If profit can be made, and the fraudster doesn’t get arrested; it’s profitable. If the profit is not in crispy greenback dollars, it may still carry perceived value if a percentage of the masses believe what they (think) they are seeing (as we discussed in Part 2).

Example: A Bounty Hunter seeks fame and fortune through television in the form of his own show in the tradition of ‘Dog the Bounty Hunter’. Therefore, he arranges for a child to disappear under the guise of a stranger abduction. He then obnoxiously rolls into town with as much flash and noise as possible and announces to the media that he is going to solve the case in a certain amount of days.

If the hybrid player in the example actually carries through, and finds the missing child within the time window he gave, and does not get caught or charged with kidnapping or fraud, he becomes the proverbial Babe Ruth; pointing out the home-run he is about to hit. He gets his own lucrative television show and gets to walk around like a proud chicken for the rest of his life.

His bullshit was valuable.

Fraud – scam – hoax – hoodwink; call it what you will.

As was discussed in Part 1, internet pioneer and noted hacker, Aaron Swartz, was charged with online fraud, and eventually took his own life at the concept of growing old in a federal prison.

The Swartz case may serve as a relevant sidebar to the entire problem. It is disappointing perhaps, to see so much federal time, money, and attention was invested on a young fellow downloading free public documents, while child pornographers, human traffickers, dope fiends, ponzi schemers, and fraudsters of all kinds are ruining the lives of innocent children and carefully selected targets.

So how does the hybrid online criminal acquire the capitulation of any who dare to resist, challenge, or expose it?

Without the thugs of the old Mob; how are victims intimidated?

The answer is blackmail.

Using publicly accessible information from the Web; and/or private information obtained from third parties who know the target; and/or bogus information (lies) created from whole cloth to destroy the name and reputation of the target; and/or a clever combining of truth and lie that is nearly impossible for the average person to decipher without special effort; blackmail and extortion is applied.

But blackmail is illegal; right? If a person is being extorted or threatened they should immediately contact law enforcement; correct?

Unfortunately, that is only true in theory.

In Part 4 we discuss law enforcement.

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Part 4

What you are about to learn is information prepared by an investigative author (Timothy Charles Holmseth) that has been the victim of online gang-stalking, extortion, blackmail, and death threats for nearly four years.

The information presented here is based upon documented experiences, supported by recorded interviews, sworn affidavits, public records, private records, court files, police reports, medical records, etc.

In Part 2 we looked at facts, circumstances, and information regarding a tabloid blogger that contact the East Grand Forks Police Department (EGF PD) and began lobbying for me (Timothy Charles Holmseth) to be arrested.

The EGF PD is the police department with jurisdiction over me because I live in East Grand Fork, Minnesota. The EGF PD became enmeshed in a (my) publishers business until they meddled to such a degree, they could not escape the actual depth of their own misconduct.  

Strict constitutional laws drape a very protective umbrella over publishers in the United States. There are no laws in existence that would ever grant a local police department authority to become interested and involved in the activities of an award-wining reporter that is conducting consensual interviews and research on a subject.

As we discussed previously, both versions of organized crime have a coercion component engrained into the business plan. But as was also discussed, the remedy and resource for law-abiding citizens that are being blackmailed or threatened is to contact the police.

However, compromising a police department is standard operating procedure for the hybrid criminal enterprise. To the average person that does not closely investigate the on-goings of the underworld, much less become a victim of their methods for years on end, the assertion that they can infiltrate a police department seems like a rather tall order.

I can assure it is not – it is actually much easier than one might think.

Our case study is going to focus primarily on the EGF PD.

Dated public records show I had been targeted by the hybrid almost immediately after conducting interviews with significant players in the case of the missing child HaLeigh Cummings. The people I was interviewing had actually been questioned by law enforcement in Florida. I was interviewing criminals that were imploding and in panic mode. They were ratting each other out and I have it all on tape.

Simultaneous to me interviewing the missing child’s family, private investigator, and countless eyewitnesses to felonies, un-founded police reports suddenly began to be called in to the EGF PD. The callers were inter-connected individuals, who were complaining about me; but not reporting any actual crimes.

Narcissism, arrogance, lack of fear, sense of entitlement, and an all-around disrespect for law enforcement is a subtle trait found in members of the hybrid criminal enterprise. The cocky self-assured posturing of the callers can unfortunately appear as ‘authority’ to a novice at understanding truth and justice.

A police officer receiving a call from a hybrid online criminal will typically respond in one of three ways.

1. The police officer will sternly advise the caller that the report is unfounded. He/she will make it clear the issue is closed.
2. The police officer will become intimidated by the aggressive, self-certain, arrogant nature of the caller, and intimidated by any tactics they may be employing such as name-dropping, etc. The officer may then attempt to placate the caller somehow.
3. The police officer will actually relate well to the caller and be fond of their (criminal) nature (a.k.a. - good ole boys network).

The incessant calls and emails to the EGF PD by members of the hybrid generated a considerable paper trail. The story told, one incident report after another, shows how like-minded individuals at the police department foolishly developed a little love affair with the callers. The ranking officer at the EGF PD then began to do the complainants small favors, which is essentially against the law; especially where a federal kidnapping is involved.

In one instance, the ranking officer accurately advised Art Harris, a tabloid con-man, that I had not committed any crime and could not be charged. However, he then, inexplicably, told Harris he would forward his (Harris’) emails to the Polk County Attorney to see if he could do something.

It is clear the ranking officer was operating with a mindset that was outside the law. Such an action is wrong on its face, because the City of East Grand Forks handles misdemeanors, and the Polk County Attorney’s Office handles more serious crimes such as felonies. If I had not committed a misdemeanor; I surely had not committed a felony.

So what was the ranking police officer expecting the Polk County Attorney to do? He showed his true colors.

In another instance, the same police officer took a call from a woman I had contacted regarding Photoshopped pictures of the missing child HaLeigh Cummings. I had contacted the woman because the email thread containing the photos had passed right through her email account where she worked, which was an event-planning and marketing firm.  She asked the police officer to contact me and tell me to not write anything about her.

And he did.

That’s called ‘leaning on someone’ - and it is against the law. The police officer brought the power of the State of Minnesota into a non-criminal, private matter, in effort to influence a publisher. 

The problem with the actions of this officer are too numerous to mention, but the over-arching truth about the matter is the most problematic. The woman was under federal investigation. The FBI visited the workplace of the woman in Florida and questioned her about the photo. In 2012, a witness from Florida that had the entire Photoshopping event confessed to her, met with the FBI and confirmed the woman was in fact involved in the Photoshopping of the missing child’s picture.

The dismal incompetence of the ranking officer at the local police department has now become the officer’s Achilles tendon. Moreover, the weakness is already being observed by the hybrid players. The officer’s lack of judgment could now cost him his job if the public found out what he had been doing.

And this is where the Police Department becomes as strong as its weakest link.

The presence of the hybrid criminal, where law enforcement is concerned, is a very discreet reality that is typically not seen at causal first glance. However, a police department is put in place to protect and serve the citizenry, and that is what is expected by the public. It will eventually be odd and unexplainable conduct that will begin to reveal the hybrid has infiltrated the integrity of the Department; it becomes the ghost in the wiring.

When I began to report blackmail, extortion, and death threats to the EGF PD, I was blatantly ignored. I possessed audio recordings of people telephoning me and warning me they would have my children taken away if I didn’t obey their demands. Some used electronic voice changers, but some used their own names. The police could have easily investigated these crimes, or contacted the FBI.

But they did neither. The ranking officer suggested I take my daughter and move. Essentially, another illegal act.

When my life was threatened, I provided the Police Department a sworn affidavit from an eye-witness to the death threat against me; but no action whatsoever was taken; not even a police incident report was generated. The witness provided names, places, times, and even described the illegal assault rifle brandished that would do the job.

I filled out a Freedom of Information request form and handed it in to the duty officer at the Police Department. I followed it up with several more communications to the ranking officer and secretary.

Now, this is where the presence of the hybrid criminal enterprise really begins to lose its invisibility cloak. A seasoned newspaper reporter, I knew what I was doing. I knew how to make the requests and how to back it up later.

The Police Department had an obligation to fulfill the document request I made. I advised the ranking officer by email I needed the records for my defense in a court hearing. This was not a personal favor I was making; this was a right afforded to me as stated in written City Policy.

The Department would not turn the records over, and I was left defenseless for the court hearing; and in fear for my life.

Of course, the obvious question is; what was in the police reports that the Department was trying to hide?

You will soon see.

Three and half years after the Department began its communications, which was essentially, criminals lobbying for my arrest, I was arrested by the ranking officer.

I filed a formal Internal Affairs complaint against the ranking officer for withholding records, and received an apology from the Chief of Police. He apologized about the documents I had not been given and asked me to fill the FOI form out again. He asked that I send it directly to him.

I soon received some records.

Seven months later, another ranking detective with the Department approached me and told me there was an envelope at the police station with my name on it and I should go get it. When I retrieved the envelope, I found it contained the police incident reports I had requested 16 months prior (that had since been furnished to me by the Chief). The print-out date on the records was 15 months old.

When both sets of reports were compared – they didn’t all match.

Information had been removed to cloak names, circumstances, existing evidence in police possession, and extended facts.

And - critical evidence had long since been destroyed.

It can sometimes be difficult for the average person to believe that various diabolical creeps from out of state could infiltrate a local police department, and soon get their way. People understand and realize that most police officers are super good guys and gals, dedicated to serving and protecting their folks.

I agree - there is nothing sweeter than the jingling and rattling of the gear on a running cop that’s getting closer and closer when you need their help, bad. 

Indeed, there are often only one or two snakes in the wood pile.

In a coming segment we will discuss what happened to the Sheriff and Chief of Police in the Ohio community of Steubenville.

You will learn how online hactivists, unhappy with the County Sheriff; sent online threats to rape his daughters. Equally unhappy with the Chief of Police, they deployed a virus into his computer system.

Apparently the Steubenville authorities didn’t get on the phone with the hactavists and have friendly little chit-chats. They immediately requested the assistance of the FBI.

East Grand Forks, Minnesota authorities tried to hide records, find them again, be cute, edit documents, and destroy evidence.

But as law enforcement in Ohio has shown America, eventually, the men will always be separated from the boys.

In Part 5 we will examine methods used by the hybrid to blackmail and extort.