A US man who uploaded a sexually explicit video of a 16-year-old girl to the adult website OnlyFans has pleaded guilty to distributing child pornography. He is now facing a sentence of five to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The sentencing of Matthew Richardson, 36, is scheduled for December 19. The plea agreement was reached in August, news agency Reuters reported.
What is the case all about
Richardson’s case came to light during a Reuters investigation in July that exposed the presence of child sexual abuse material on OnlyFans.The investigation uncovered numerous instances of explicit content involving minors on the platform. This became a problem because the company has claimed that it has strict content moderation and a zero-tolerance policy towards child exploitation.
According to court documents, Richardson met the 16-year-old victim at a grocery store and initiated a sexual relationship with her. He then recorded himself engaging in sexual acts with the minor and posted the video on his OnlyFans account, which he operated under the pseudonym Skylar Ravenwood, according to plea documents filed in the case.
Richardson was arrested in December 2022 at a highway rest stop in Ohio after fleeing with the victim.
“It was a nightmare. She’s still not doing good,” a relative of the girl was quoted as saying.
What OnlyFans has to say
OnlyFans claims that it follows swift removal and reporting of child sexual abuse material on the platform, however, the report says that Richardson’s account remained active for over a year and a half after he posted the illegal content. The video featuring the minor was only removed after the case, and the account was subsequently shut down.
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