Chemistry Student Accused of
Blackmailing Internet Company
By Jeffrey Gold
Associated Press Writer
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - A graduate student at Colorado
State University has been arrested and accused of
trying to extort money, a car and free downloads from a
New Jersey company that sold digital books over the
Internet.
The Wayne-based company, which was not named by
federal authorities, received 10 threatening e-mails from
an account of Nelson Robert Holcomb in April and May,
according to court papers filed by the FBI.
The e-mails said the sender had discovered how to
download the books for free and would not reveal the
weakness in return for a sum equal to the retail value of
the content on the company's Web site, a 2001 Volvo
wagon, two digital audio players, and unlimited free
downloads of the company's content, court papers said.
After the company agreed to provide everything except
the money, it got an e-mail the next day from someone
who identified himself as Rob Holcomb. The sender
gave a mailing address and work phone number at the
school's chemistry department in Fort Collins, Colo.,
court papers said.
Another e-mail from Holcomb's school account said he
would be willing to sign a nondisclosure agreement, the
papers said.
Holcomb, 36, was arrested at his Fort Collins, Colo.,
home Wednesday.
Bail was set at $50,000 in federal court in Denver and
the judge barred Holcomb from any Internet access and
from disseminating information about the company,
said Michael Drewniak, a spokesman for the U.S.
attorney's office in Newark, where the charges were
filed.
Messages left at Holcomb's work number in the
chemistry department were not immediately returned
Wednesday and the phone at his home rang
unanswered.
If convicted of the single charge of using the Internet to
send extortion threats, Holcomb could face up to two
years in prison and a $100,000 fine.
http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGILE228O8C.html
Janet on vulnerabilities and social engineering:
"I was surprised that there were so many" places they
could get into, Attorney General Janet Reno told her
weekly news conference. But she added, "Anytime you
expose vulnerabilities, it's a good thing."
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