N.J. man was ‘money mule’ for international ring selling child sex abuse videos, authorities say

Authorities in Florida say a New Jersey man was part of an international ring that distributed child sex abuse videos.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier recently announced charges in the case against several Florida residents and New Jersey resident Krunal Kumar Nareshbhai Modi.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement discovered advertisements on social media about large amounts of child sex abuse materials for sale. An investigation revealed a group led by Mehmet Berk Bozuyuk, a resident of Turkey, transferred the materials to eight buyers in the United States, according to a press release about the case.

Investigators said they responded to an ad listing more than 6 terabytes of material for $100, and they received more than a million videos and photos of child sex abuse content in return.

Authorities seized the website domain to disrupt further distribution of the material.

Speaking at a press conference announcing the arrests, Florida Department of Law Enforcement Special Agent in Charge Mark Brutnell described Modi as a “money mule” for the operation, according to video of the announcement posted by Fox13 in Florida.

Working with their counterparts in New Jersey, investigators executed a search warrant at Modi’s home and recovered “a treasure trove of evidence,” Brutnell said. Modi is described in one media account as a resident of Cliffwood, a section of Aberdeen in Monmouth County.

At least four people served as money mules for the operation, accepting money from buyers in Florida, authorities said. The money mules pocketed a percentage of the total and sent the remainder to Bozuyuk, the ringleader in Turkey, investigators said.

Modi and Bozuyuk had more than 500 transactions, Brutnell said.

Modi is charged with one count of racketeer influenced and corrupt organizations, known as RICO. He is also charged with one count each of conspiracy to commit RICO and money laundering.

In addition to the eight people arrested, arrest warrants have been issued for Bozuyuk, the accused ringleader, and a woman in Oregon accused of money laundering.