UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA June 2016 Grand Jury UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff, v. CHRISTINA ELIZABETH BANKSTON, aka "Christina Elizabeth McGill," aka "Troy Leatherby," aka "Jacky Jasper," aka "Greg Comeau," aka "Browbuster," Defendant. The Grand Jury charges: [18 U.S.C. and 2261(b)(5): Stalking; l8 U.S.C. 1030(a)(2)(C), Unauthorized Access to a Protected Computer to Obtain Information; 18 U.S.C. 1030(a)(7)(B), Extortion by Threat to Obtain Information and Impair Confidentiality of Information of a Protected Computer; 18 U.S.C. 1028A(a)(1): Aggravated Identity Theft] COUNTS ONE THROUGH [18 U.S.C. 2261(b)(5)] COURSE OF CONDUCT USE OF INTERSTATE COMMERCE FACILITY TO ENGAGE IN THREATENING 1. Beginning on a date unknown to the Grand Jury, but no later than March 9, 2014, and continuing to on or about September 5,12014, in Los Angeles County, within the Central District of California, and elsewhere, defendant CHRISTINA ELIZABETH BANKSTON, also known as 2 "Christina Elizabeth McGill," aka "Troy Leatherby," aka 3 ?Jacky Jasper," aka "Greg Comeau," aka "Browbuster," ("defendant 4 with the intent to harass and intimidate Kristen Jenner 5 ("Victim Jenner"), Katherine Ellena ("Victim Ellena"), Caitlyn 6 Jenner, then known as Bruce Jenner ("Victim C. Jenner"), Jennifer 7 Stith ("Victim Stith"), Victim A, Victim B, and others known and 8 unknown to the Grand Jury (collectively, "the used 9 facilities of interstate commerce, including cellular telephone 10 networks, electronic mail ("email"), text messages, interstate wires, 11 and the Internet, to engage in a course of conduct, described in 12 paragraph 2 below, that caused, attempted to cause, and would have 13 been reasonably expected to cause, substantial emotional distress to 14 the Victims and their immediate family members. 15 B. DESCRIPTION OF COURSE OF CONDUCT 16 2. Defendant course of conduct included, among 17 other things, the following: 18 a. Between on or about March 9, 2014 and March 10, 2014, 19 defendant BANKSTON, using the name "Troy,h an email account, and 20 multiple telephone numbers, sent 89 chat messages and 19 text 21 messages to Victim Jenner. In those messages, among other things 22 defendant BANKSTON, stating that defendant BANKSTON was located in 23 Beverly Hills, California, and knowing that Victim Jenner resided in 24 Los Angeles County, asked to meet Victim Jenner in person because 25 defendant BANKSTON claimed to have a "sex tape" of Victim Jenner 26 which defendant BANKSTON claimed to have sent to an online media 27 website. I 28 about March 12, 2014, defendant BANKSTON sent Victim Jenner six anonymous text messages, including: i. "Can I eat you out," "Oh you can't block me forever love." ii. "Die! I feel special and honored to rock it! Love momma Kris." defendant BANKSTON sent c. On or about March 14, 2014, Victim Jenner 29 anonymous text messages from multiple telephone numbers, including the following: i. "Hey beautiful remember when you were getting all those crazy calls from the uk and you posted it! Why won't you post mine with me contacting you?," "Instagram me make me famous.? ii. "Kris put this on TMZ make me famousll," "Kris we have all your numbers now make 'me famous Kris I looked on the FBI most wanted list and I'm not there! I'm disappointed in you! Put me on Instagram tho goodnight you!" d. On March 22, 2014, defendant BANKSTON, using multiple telephone numbers, sent 34 anonymous text messages to Victim Jenner. In those messages, among other things, defendant BANKSTON: i. Stated that she had a "sex tape" of Victim Jenner that defendant BANKSTON wanted to sell to an adult film studio. "Let's talk," "My bad lets stalk." ii. Stated, e. On or about March 24, 2014, at approximately 4:00 BANKSTON used a telephone to call a friend of Victim Jenner, and, impersonating Victim Jenner, falsely told Victim Jenner's friend that something had been published about the friend on the Internet. about March 25, 2014, defendant BANKSTON, using multiple phone numbers, sent 8 anonymous text messages to Victim Jenner. In those messages, among other things, defendant BANKSTON repeatedly referenced Victim Jenner's inability to "block" defendant BANKSTON's communications to Victim Jenner, and stated, "This is getting creepy [again]." g. On or about March 26, 2014, defendant BANKSTON sent 11 anonymous text messages to Victim Jenner. In those messages, among other things, defendant BANKSTON stated that defendant BANKSTON had conducted an interview with a reporter from an online website about a sex tape of Victim Jenner that defendant BANKSTON claimed to have. h. On or about April 6, 2014, defendant BANKSTON, using multiple telephone numbers, sent 7 anonymous text messages to Victim Jenner. In those messages, among'other'things, defendant BANKSTON asked Victim Jenner to call her and meet at a hotel room in Beverly Hills, California, knowing that Victim Jenner lived in the area. i. On or about April 12, 2014, defendant BANKSTON, using the name "Troy Leatherby" and multiple telephone numbers, sent 54 text messages to Victim Jenner. In those messages, among other things, defendant BANKSTON: i. Asked Victim Jenner to meet her at a hotel in the Los Angeles area to "come fucc with me." ii. Repeatedly referenced Victim Jenner's inability to block telephone numbers. Stated that she wanted to make a "sex tape" with Victim Jenner to sell for a million dollars. iv. Made multiple references to wanting to see Victim Jenner naked or engaged in sexual activity. j. On or about April 13, 2014, defendant BANKSTON, using the name "Troy" and multiple telephone numbers, sent 60 text messages to Victim Jenner, including the following: i, want eat you through you're sexy to [me].your area today lets do it." k. Between on or about April 16, 2014 and April 18, 2014, defendant BANKSTON, using multiple telephone numbers, sent 23 anonymous text messages to Victim Jenner, including the following: 1. "Kris has her own personal stalker." ii. "Heard you were in the hOSpital," "I?m on my way to see you soon if you're home." .1. On or about April 19, 2014, defendant BANKSTON, using multiple telephone numbers, sent 49 anonymous text messages to among other things, defendant Victim Jenner. In those messages, BANKSTON: i. Stated, "Ahh kris you have a stalker 101." ii. Told Victim Jenner that defendant BANKSTON had obtained Victim Jenner's "password" from a named employee of a restaurant at which Victim Jenner had eaten, and "now your fucked." Stated, "Change be a better person and then maybe then we will stop ducking up your world you lousy useless bitch." m. On or about April 27, 2014, defendant BANKSTON, using multiple telephone numbers, sent two anonymous text messages and made approximately 22 telephone calls to a person whom defendant BANKSTON knew to be a friend of Victim Jenner. In those calls and text 5 messages, among other things, defendant BANKSTON, while impersonating Victim Jenner, told the friend that Victim Jenner had cancer and needed the telephone number of Victim Jenner's husband, Victim C. Jenner, to get a ride to the hospital. n. On or about April 27, 2014, defendant BANKSTON used a telephone to cause Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department to send emergency response personnel to ViCtim Jenner's residence by telling an emergency service operator that defendant Victim Jenner and falsely stating that Victim Jenner's sister, whose true first name defendant BANKSTON provided, was cutting her wrists at Victim Jenner's residence as part of a suicide attempt. o. On or about June 9, 2014, defendant BANKSTON used a2 telephone to call Victim Ellena, whom defendant knew worked for Victim Jenner. During the call, defendant BANKSTON asked for Victim Ellena by Victim Ellena's first name, said that it-had taken a long time to find Victim Ellena's telephone number, laughed, and hung up. p. Between on or about June 9, 2014 and June 10, 2014, gain defendant BANKSTON, used the Internet to, on multiple occasions, unauthorized access to and change the password for Victim Jenner's among other things, Apple iCloud account. Using that account, defendant BANKSTON: 1. Used an iCloud feature to locate Victim Jenner's iPhone at Victim Jenner's residence in Los Angeles County.' ii. Impersonated Victim Jenner in a text message conversation with Victim C. Jenner. Sent 24 texts messages from Victim Jenner's Apple iCloud account to Victim C. Jenner, after Victim C. Jenner became aware of the impersonation, including, the following: 6 could try but could never find me," "Dumb fuck," "u could never find me," "Dumb fuck," "Good luck I fuck your wife," "And she loves it." "Kris hates blacks and we made it to TMZ bye Bruce." "Tell [first name of Victim C. Jenner's former spouse] she's a hot piece of ass and she's next." iv. Impersonated Victim Jenner in a text message conversation with Victim Jenner's daughter, Victim A, then a minor. q. On or about June 10, 2014, defendant BANKSTON used the Internet to gain unauthorized access to Victim Jenner's Instagram account. Using that account, defendant BANKSTON publically posted, under Victim Jenner's name and photograph, negative comments about "blacks," and disparaging remarks about a member of ViCtim Jenner's family. r. On or about June 11, 2014, defendant BANKSTON sent ten anonymous text messages to Victim Jenner. In those messages, among other things, defendant BANKSTON described herself as "the best hacker in the word," said that she would next hack into Victim Jenner's Twitter account, and threatened to "release" publically defendant BANKSTON's prior text message conversation with Victim A, as well as "pics and emails." defendant BANKSTON sent six s. On or about June 11, 2014, anonymous text messages to Victim C. Jenner, including "After you told me go fuck myself i decided to go fuck your wife instead." t. On or about June 11, 2014, defendant BANKSTON used the Internet to attempt to gain unauthorized access to and reset the 7 password for Victim Jenner's Apple iCloud account. 7 about June 11, 2014, defendant BANKSTON used a telephone to call an employee at Instagram LLC. .In the call, defendant BANKSTON identified herself with Victim Jenneris name and attempted to change the passwords of Victim Jenner's Instagram and Facebook accounts. v. Between on or about June 11, 2014 and June 12, 2014, defendant BANKSTON used the Internet to gain unauthorized access to an email account of Victim B, Victim Jenner's daughter. Using the account, defendant BANKSTON read and copied private email messages between Victim and Victim B's husband.. w. On or about June 13, 2014, defendant BANKSTON used a telephone to call Victim Ellena. During the call, defendant BANKSTON referenced the_nameskof Victim Ellena's mother, father, and brother, and said that defendant BANKSTON was "coming after" Victim Ellena's "next." mother Defendant BANKSTON then made several attempts to call Victim Ellena's mother. K. On or about June 19, 2014, defendant BANKSTON, using the name "Greg Comeau," used a telephone to make three telephone calls to Victim Jenner. During the calls, among other things, defendant Victim Jenner that someone had had broken. into Victim Jenner?s "phone" and computer accounts, could view Victim Jenner's emails, and was stalking Victim C. Jenner and others. y. On or about June 19, 2014, defendant BANKSTON sent seven anonymous text messages to Victim Jenner, including, "This is the fun part about it," "No matter how much yOu change numbers we find them," and "So now we find and seek your home multiple telephone calls to Victim Stith, whom defendant BANKSTON 8 During the calls, among knew worked for Victim Jenner at an office. other things, dEfendant BANKSTON told Victim Stith that Victim Stith was being watched at the office and not to leave the office. defendant BANKSTON sent aa. On or about June 24, 2014, three anonymous text messages to Victim B, among other things, falsely stating that she was pregnant by Victim B's husband. bb. On or about June 24, 2014, defendant BANKSTON, using the name "jacky jasper," sent 20 text messages to Victim C. Jenner, including "1 saw you getting coffee in your blue bike shorts today," and still wanna know if I can fuck your pretty wife." cc. Between on or about July 19, 2014 and July 20, 2014, defendant BANKSTON used the Internet to post on the website lipstickalley.com a number of messages about Victim Jenner and Victim Jenner's family under a public discussion thread that among other defendant BANKSTON created. Those messages included, things, the following: i. An offer to provide, upon request, defendant June 10, 2014 text message conversation with Victim A, representing it to be a conversation between Victim Jenner and Victim A. ii. A series of messages that identified and published the telephone numbers for Victim Jenner's residence and cellular telephone, Victim A, another daughter of Victim Jenner, and one of Victim Jenner's friends. defendant BANKSTON sent dd. On or about July 31, 2014, .Victim Jenner an email stating, am so in love with you, it's crazy, you know me btw. Can you come to the Bay Area? I wanna fuck you So bad." about August 4, 2014, defendant BANKSTON sent series of an email messages to Victim Jenner and Victim Ellena. Those messages included, among other things, the following: i. An email to Victim Ellena stating, "Tell kris for wiping my iPad now I can't use it. I'll expect a new one this week." ii. An email to Victim Ellena titled, "I'm tracking this," that contained location and other information regarding Victim Ellena's email address and phone service, and the statement "Here's your ip.;..and info! I want my iPad." An email to Victim Jenner stating, "Call in extra security I'm tracking you..Who's in Glendale? Look somewhere on your a tracking device 101 101. Well you 'do like the cameras don't'you? have priVate intamate shots of you too they will be published on lipstickalley tonight if I get no call or ipad." iv. An email to Victim Jenner titled "Your Stalker," that stated, "You want to see stalker I'm going to show you stalker -now fetch me a new iPad 1.5 hours till show ff. On or about August 6, 2014, using the name "Mr Troy," and the email address defendant BANKSTON sent a series of emails to Victim Jenner and Victim Ellena. Those emails included, the following: i. An email to Victim Ellena titled, "Troy leatherby I'm here," stating, "I'm here. I'm the one who put out the sex tape rumors I am the one who broke into her iCloud. I am here from San Francisco lets meet. Ive been on you guys since april tell the guy who answered the phone at the house I'm here. Tell him I had a bad 10 connection. Tell everyone I'm in townll Hahahah. Brace yourself I'm here for my iPad. 6'4 green eyes and will see you and kris soon. Thanks kat." ii. An email to Victim Ellena stating, "There's no use for you guys to keep changing numbers I am a hacker an work IT I can find out your new number within days I've hacked the camera in homes don't fuck with me just get me my iPad ill meet you anywhere for it but you guys owe me an iPad. Katherine I've been in your iCloud brace yourselves. I want my iPad ill meet anywhere to get it." An email to Victim Ellena stating, "Clear the fucking house I'm in the area. I'm n0w connected to KJ wireless I am IT I can see everything on this network. Don't play *matlock You won't find met? Tel the boy who's answering the house numbers I will duck him for lying to me. I don't You will learn soon. I'm withinn a 5 mi radius of iv. An email to Victim Jenner stating, I'm gonna duck like games. Kris's home. you right in your pussy hole you are mine and am in love." v. An email to Victim Ellena stating, "I'm going to fuck you right in your pussy hole when I see you." gg. On or about August 7, 2014, defendant BANKSTON sent by email to Victim Ellena four audio files purporting to reflect recordings of "Troy" speaking on the telephone. In these audio files, among other things, defendant BANKSTON references stalking Victim Jenner and her family over many months, including putting tracking devices on Victim Jenner's vehicles, obtaining phone numbers from restaurants that Victim Jenner had attended, using someone to 11 imitate Victim Jenner's voice on the telephone with Victim Jenner's friends, seeking to obtain naked photographs of Victim Jenner, traveling to Los Angeles County where Victim Jenner lived, and hacking into Victim Jenner's iCloud and Instagram accounts. hh. On or about August 8, 2014, using the name "Mr Troy," and the email address defendant BANKSTON, knowing Victim Ellena was in San Francisco, sent an email message to Victim Ellena stating, among other things, "I'm assuming youfre in the Bay Area now! Is Kris with you?" ii. On or about August 10, 2014, defendant BANKSTON used the Internet to post on the website lipstickalley.com a number of messages under a public discussion thread that defendant BANKSTON Those messages created titled, "The stalking of Kris Jenner." .included, among other things, statements-about a stalker putting tracking devices on Victim Jenner?s car, breaking into and tracking Victim Jenner's iPhone, and obtaining naked photographs of Victim Jenner. jj. On or about August 15, 2014, defendant BANKSTON, knowing that Victim Ellena was located at the offices of Entertainment Television in Los Angeles, California, sent Victim Ellena an email saying, "you're at network I see you." kk. On or about September 5, 2014, defendant BANKSTON told agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation that a person named "Troy Leatherby" would be going to Victim Jenner's home the next day and might the house or set it on fire,? or commit "some kind of massacre," knowing that this was false. 12 COUNTS 3. Defendant engaged in the course of conduct and used the facilities of interstate commerce described in paragraph 2 above, with the intent to harass and intimidate the folloWing persons, and caused, attempted to cause, and would have been reasonably expected to cause, substantial emotional distress to that person and their immediate family members. COUNT: VICTIM: ONE Victim Jenner TWO Victim Ellena THREE Victim C. Jenner FOUR Victim A FIVE Victim SIX Victim Stith l3 COUNT SEVEN [18 U.S.C. 1030(a)(2)(C), On or about June 10, 2014, in Los Angeles County, within the Central District of California, and elsewhere, defendant CHRISTINA "Christina Elizabeth ELIZABETH BANKSTON, also known as McGill," aka "Troy Leatherby," aka "Jacky Jasper," aka "Greg Comeau," aka "Browbuster," knowingly and intentionally accessed without authorization and in excess of authorization a protected computer, as Section that term is defined in Title 18, United States Code, a server of Apple Inc., and thereby obtained lO30(e)(2), namely, information, namely, the contents of an iCloud account belonging to Kristen Jenner ("Victim Jenner") and the location of Victim Jenner's iPhone, in furtherance of criminal and tortious acts, to wit, stalking in-violation of 18 U.S.C. and 2261(b)(5), as alleged in Counts One through Six of this Indictment, and the California State Tort of Invasion of Privacy. 14 28' "tortious acts, COUNT EIGHT [18 U.S.C. 1030(about June 10, 2014, in Los Angeles County, within the Central District of California, and elsewhere, defendant ELIZABETH BANKSTON, also known as "Christina Elizabeth McGill," aka "Troy Leatherby," aka "Jacky Jasper," aka "Greg Comeau," aka "Browbuster," knowingly and intentionally accessed without authorization and in excess of authorization a protected computer, as that term is defined in Title 18, United States Code, Section 1030(e)(2), namely, a server of Apple Inc., and thereby obtained information, namely, the contents of an iCloud account belonging to Kristen Jenner, and iMessage communications with Caitlyn Jenner, then known as Bruce Jenner and Victim A, in furtherance of criminal and to wit, stalking in violation of and 226l(b)(5), as alleged in Counts One through Six of this Indictment, and the California State Tort of Invasion of Privacy. 15 COUNT NINE [l8 U.S.C. 1030(a)(2)(c), On or about June 11, 2014, in Los Angeles County, within the Central District of California, and elsewhere, defendant CHRISTINA ELIZABETH BANKSTON, also known as "Christina Elizabeth McGill," aka "Troy Leatherby," aka "Jacky Jasper," "aka "Greg Comeau," aka "Browbuster," knowingly and intentionally attempted to access without authorization and in excess of authorization a ,protected computer, as that term is defined in Title 18, United States Code, Section lO30(e)(2), namely, a/server of Instagram, and thereby obtained information, namely, the contents of an Instagram account belonging to Kristen Jenner, in furtherance of criminal and tortious acts, to wit, stalking in violation of 18 U.S.C. and 226l(b)(5), as alleged in Counts One through Six of this Indictment, and the California State Tort of Invasion of Privacy. 16 COUNT TEN [18 U.S.C. 1030(a)(2)(C), On or about June 11, 2014, in Los Angeles County, within the Central District of California, and elsewhere, defendant CHRISTINA ELIZABETH BANKSTON, also known as "Christina Elizabeth McGill," aka "Troy Leatherby," aka "Jacky Jasper," aka "Greg Comeau," aka "Browbuster," knowingly and intentionally accessed without authorization and in excess of authorization a protected computer, as that term is defined in Title 18, United States Code, Section 1030(e)(2), namely, a server of AOL Inc., and thereby obtained information, namely, the contents of an AOL email account belonging to wit, to Victim B, in furtherance of criminal and tortious acts, stalking in violation of 18 U.S.C. and 226l(b)(5), as alleged in Counts One through SiX'of this Indictment, and the California State Tort of Invasion of Privacy. 17 10 11 12 13 14COUNT ELEVEN [18 U.S.C. 1030(a)(7)(B), On or about August 6, 2014, in Los Angeles County, within the' Central District of California, and elsewhere, defendant CHRISTINA ELIZABETH BANKSTON, also known as "Christina Elizabeth McGill," aka "Trovaeatherby," aka "Jacky Jasper," aka "Greg Comeau,? aka "Browbuster," with intent to extort money and other things of value, transmitted in interstate and foreign commerce an email to Katherine Ellena ("Victim Ellena"), containing a threat to obtain information from a protected computer without authorization and to impair the confidentiality of information obtained from a protected icomputer without authorization, namely, information from Victim Ellena's iCloud account. 18 COUNT TWELVE [18 U.S.C. 1028A(a)(l)] On or about June 10, 2014, in Los Angeles County, within the Central District of California, and elsewhere, defendant CHRISTINA ELIZABETH BANKSTON, also known as ?Christina Elizabeth McGill," aka "Troy Leatherby," aka "Jacky Jasper," aka "Greg," aka "Browbuster," knowingly transferred, possessed, and used, without lawful authority, a means of identification of another person, that is, the username, password, and security answer of Kristen Jenner, during_and in relation to Unauthorized Access to a Protected Computer to Obtain Information, a felony violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1030(a)(2)(C), and as charged in Count Seven of this Indictment. l9 10 11 12 13 COUNT THIRTEEN [18 Use. 1028A(a) On or about June 10, 2014, in Los Angeles County, within the defendant CHRISTINA Central District of California, and elsewhere, ELIZABETH BANKSTON, also known as "Christina Elizabeth McGill," aka "Troy Leatherby," aka "Jacky Jasper," aka "Greg," aka "Browbuster," knowingly transferred, possessed, and used, without lawful authority, a means of identification of another person, that is, the username, password, and security answer of Kristen Jenner, during and in relation to Unauthorized Access to a.Protected Computer to Obtain Information, a felony violation of Title 18, United States and as charged in Count Code, Sections Eight of this Indictment. 14mm_m_ COUNTHFOURTEEN [18 U.S.C. 1028A(a)(1)] On or about June 11, 2014, in Los Angeles County, within the Central District of California, and elsewhere, defendant CHRISTINA ELIZABETH BANKSTON, also known as "Christina Elizabeth McGill," aka "Troy Leatherby," aka "Jacky JaSper," aka "Greg Comeau," aka "Browbuster," knowingly transferred, possessed, and used, without lawful authority, a means of identification of another persOn, that is, the name of Kristen Jenner, during and in relation to the attempted Unauthorized Access to a Protected Computer to Obtain Information, a felony violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections lO30(a)(2)(C), and as charged in Count Nine of this Indictment. 21 COUNT FIFTEEN [18 U.S.C. 1028A(a)(1)] Between on or about June 11, 2014 in Los Angeles County, within the Central District of California, and elsewhere, defendant CHRISTINA ELIZABETH BANKSTON, also known as "Christina Elizabeth McGill," aka "Troy Leatherby," aka "Jacky Jasper," aka "Greg Comeau," aka "Browbuster," knowingly transferred, posSessed, and used, without lawful authority, a means of identification of another person, that is, the username, password, and security answer of Victim B, during and in relation to Unauthorized Access to a Protected Computer to Obtain Information, a felony violation of 22 Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1030(a)(2)(C), and as charged in Count Ten of this Indictment. A TRUE BILL Foreperson EILEEN M. DECKER United States Attorney 230% We PATRICIA A. DONAHUE Assistant United States Attorney Chief, National Security Division TRACY L. WILKISON Assistant United States Attorney Chief, Cyber Intellectual Property Crimes Section s. CHRISTENSEN Assistant United States Attorney Deputy Chief, Cyber Intellectual Property Crimes Section DAVID KOWAL Assistant United States Attorney Cyber Intellectual Property Crimes Section 23