Latest news with #Gustavson
Axios
4 days ago
- Business
- Axios
Chevron exec says data center gas plans "moving very quickly"
Chevron's young business to build gas-fired plants that directly supply data centers is "moving very quickly," and final agreements with hyperscalers could come soon, Chevron New Energies president Jeff Gustavson tells Axios. Why it matters: Chevron's — and rival Exxon's — plunge into behind-the-meter power for data centers shows how the oil supermajors are moving to capitalize on AI's powerful energy thirst. "There's no reason the U.S., with its large, abundant natural resources, natural gas in particular, can't win this [AI] race," he said in an interview. Catch up quick: In January, Chevron and investment firm Engine No. 1 unveiled a partnership to deploy gas plants co-located with big data centers starting in 2027, using GE Vernova turbines. They envision up to four gigawatts eventually being deployed and are targeting the Southeast, Midwest and West. Driving the news: "If I were to highlight one state that we're really focused on in particular, it'd be Texas," he said, citing attributes like gas availability and state and local regulatory environments. It also has carbon storage potential for the projects, which could integrate climate tech in the future like CO2 capture and use of hydrogen in turbines. "Customers want a lower carbon pathway," he said. The intrigue: Gustavson noted Trump officials support enabling new power for AI. But Chevron's also watching the fluid tariff situation closely for how it could affect costs and equipment procurement timelines. "It introduces some uncertainty here," he said. The big picture: Chevron New Energies houses the energy giant's business lines on hydrogen, CO2 capture and storage, biofuels, and its exploration of opportunities in geothermal and lithium. Threat level: The House reconciliation plan to quickly end hydrogen tax credits could slow Chevron's plans, Gustavson said. "The cost of low-carbon or no-carbon hydrogen will be higher without that incentive. And so then it's basic supply and demand. When the price of something is higher, the demand is lower, and the pace of adoption will be slower," Gustavson said. He noted the lack of production incentives will make costs higher for customers. "We need to be able to generate a return to invest in anything in this space or any space. If you don't have customers that are willing to pay the price that we need, it will slow some of these projects." What we're watching: The next phases of the data center plan.
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Daily Mirror
'Eunuch Maker' who chopped off penises and cooked testicles to eat in a salad
From removing a woman's breasts to carrying out nullifications on men, the 'Eunuch Maker's' sickening procedures landed him a life sentence at the Old Bailey last year Depraved Marius Gustavson masterminded extreme body part modifications, live streaming them on his website to the delight of his sick subscribers. And his trade was a lucrative one - Gustavson, known as Theo, made nearly £300,000 in four years. Life-threatening castrations, which involved surgically removing testicles and penectomies, the removal of penises, were carried out in the bedroom of the Norwegian's basement flat in Harringay, North London. A sign read 'Theo's playroom, open 24 hours, seven days' and a picture frame hung over the bed, containing Gustavson's framed testicles. Cameras filmed the non-sterile procedures, with no payment taken if the world was allowed to watch for sexual pleasure. And Gustavson would later sell the body parts he had removed, according to a former friend who spoke to the Guardian last year on condition of anonymity. "My partner and I were there when a sale went down," they said, describing seeing him take a jar from a small fridge behind his sofa. "We asked and he said: 'Oh yes, this is someone's penis, [it belongs to] this nice little twentysomething from Belgium.' "In that fridge there were testicles and chopped-off penises pickled in a jar and kept cold, and people would turn up to buy them." An IT worker in his 30s, Gustavson's former pal said his two-bedroom rental flat had been a nice, normal abode - although his bedroom walls were 'smothered' with pornography. Gustavson had his own penis, testicles, right nipple and left leg removed and is thought to have carried out up to 29 offences on 13 victims, as well as trading body parts. He once cooked human testicles alongside roasted potatoes, cashew and pistachio nuts for a salad and used a red-hot iron to brand a man's calf with the letters EM, for Eunuch Maker. Procedures included making men 'nullos', the nickname for genital nullification, by having both their penises and testicles removed and removing the breasts of women. The mastermind's former friend had a procedure on his penis in July 2020, saying he was sent home with antibiotics. The non-sterile environment meant he ended up in hospital nonetheless - and he wasn't the only one. "Complications were a frequent occurrence," he revealed. "Blood loss mainly, so people going in for something and then he couldn't stop the bleeding. I'm aware there was always a plan to drop people off at A&E in those kinds of cases." Gustavson was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 22 years at the Old Bailey last year, after pleading guilty to charges including conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm by performing extreme body modifications on people as young as 16 between 2017 and 2021. His barrister cited his marriage break-up in 2016 and a condition he suffered from called body integrity dysphoria, which causes a discomfort with feeling able bodied, as reasons for his criminal acts. The 'Eunuch Maker' was part of a wider conspiracy to carry out extreme body modification procedures, with several other men sentences alongside him. His website had 300,000 visitors a week, with viewers from around the globe but he wasn't thought to be living a luxury lifestyle from his endeavours. Gustavson's former friend revealed his mother had to help him with his rent.
Daily Mirror
18-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Human butchery ring that made £300k from live castrations and cooking testicles
Six members of a depraved 'human butchery' enterprise were sent to prison for between four and 22 years, but instead of showing remorse, they appealed their sentences A twisted gang of 'eunuch makers', whose leader kept his penis in a drawer, have shown little remorse for their sick crimes and even appealed the length of their sentences. Marius Gustavson, Janus Atkin, David Carruthers, Ashley Williams, Damien Byrnes and Jacob Crimi-Appleby were all jailed back in May last year for their horrific crimes related to 'human butchery'. And rather than show remorse for their grave crimes, all six members of the sick 'eunuch makers' gang, led by ringleader Gustavson, even had the cheek to appeal against their sentences ranging from four years to life with a minimum term of 22 years. Gustavson - ' the eunuch maker' - was found guilty of carrying out depraved body modifications, including the removal of penises, testicles and legs. These bloody operations were mostly carried out in Gustavson's North London flat, or at rented apartments and hotels, sometimes using ordinary household implements rather than medical equipment, causing 'great distress' to victims. Many of the grotesque surgeries were filmed and uploaded to Gustavson's 'eunuch maker' website, where some 22,841 'likeminded' subscribers across the globe would pay to watch the gruesome content. Over the course of four years, Gustavson made nearly £300,000, and was involved in at least 30 procedures linked to a subculture known as 'nullos' - an abbreviation of genital nullification - whereby men have their penis and testicles removed. Users of the site could even pay a VIP access price to watch a live penis amputation take place, while penises were put up for online auction with a 'buy it now' button. Detailing the disturbing footage made available to anyone who 'had the inclination', prosecutor Caroline Carberry, KC, said: "Users could pay to subscribe or buy individual videos. There is evidence the victims were promised a sum of money from the video revenue. Gustavson recruited like-minded individuals to assist him in his large-scale, dangerous and disturbing enterprise. 'He was a manipulator of victims, who were themselves vulnerable. It is impossible to know how many procedures took place in the years when the Eunuch Maker website was active." The Old Bailey heard how in one Facetime call with a victim from Sweden, Gustavson told the man to 'maim himself' by cutting off his testicles, telling him: 'You know what to do come on, just push it.' Then, three days later, Gustavson encouraged the man to cut off his penis. In another chilling incident, a victim's calf was branded with the letters 'EM' for eunuch maker. This individual later complained to police about Gustavson and his 'circle of acolytes', prompting an investigation. Norweigan-born Gustavson is a wheelchair user after his own leg was frozen and then amputated. He received £18,500 worth of disability benefits after forcing NHS staff to amputate his left leg by placing it in dry ice for two hours. He has also had his nipple and penis removed and is known to have kept his own severed phallus in a drawer at his home for years after it was cut off. After one nightmarish procedure, Ms Carberry told the court that Gustavson had 'cooked some testicles for lunch' which he ate as part of a salad, taking a number of photos demonstrating his repulsive recipe from 'raw ingredients to an artfully arranged salad platter'. Gustavson pleaded guilty at his trial to conspiring to commit grievous bodily harm, five counts of grievous bodily harm with intent, one count of making an indecent photograph of a child, one count of distributing an indecent photograph of a child and possession of criminal property contrary to Section 329(1) of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. The 'Arch manipulator' was handed a life sentence, and must now serve a minimum of 22 years before he is eligible for release. Meanwhile, Atkin, Carruthers and Williams, of Newport, Gwent, as well as Ion Ciucur of Gretna, Scotland, Peter Wtes of Purley, Surrey, and Stefan Scharf of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit grievous bodily harm. Former surgical assistant Carruthers, who stored his own testicles in his chest freezer, was jailed for 11 years while his husband Williams, 32, was given a sentence of four years and six months for helping him remove one of Atkin's testicles. Former veterinary science student Atkin, who was involved in eight procedures, was given a 12-year sentence, Scharf was jailed for four years and six months for removing a testicle from a man in Gustavson's flat. Ciucur was sentenced to five years and eight months. Crimi-Appleby, from Epsom in Surrey, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Gustavson in February 2019, and was sentenced to three years and eight months in prison. Nathan Arnold, a nurse from South Kensington, west London, admitted to having partially removed one of Gustavson's nipples with a scalpel in 2019. Meanwhile, retired chemist Peter Wates, who was involved in nine of the grim procedures, was jailed for 12 years. However, Gustavson was regarded as the 'mastermind' of the gang, with one of his victims telling the court that he was a 'lunatic' who created a 'slick, professional website' through which he could share his gory content. Judge Mark Lucraft, KC, the Recorder of London, said at the time: "Gustavson you are very much the mastermind behind this grisly and gruesome enterprise. It was a business which was both busy and lucrative. "You came to the UK from Norway around 2012 and through your Eunuch Maker website began to advertise so-called body modification procedures. Many of the procedures carried out were filmed and over time the films were produced to an increasingly professional standard. "The footage uploaded was extremely explicit and made available to paying subscribers no doubt so they could watch it for their sexual gratification. It was a large-scale, dangerous and extremely disturbing enterprise. "It appears the victims consented - but as the law in this country makes clear consent is not a defence to what took place. It may be some mitigation, but the performing of such medical processes by the unqualified is eminently dangerous and many may face lifelong issues. "All the procedures were carried out by the medically unqualified in environments far from sterile. They were conducted in amateurish and dangerous ways. In some instances, it is little more than human butchery. "In some cases, medical equipment is used, in others normal household implements were used. In some equipment was used which is usually used to castrate livestock. Many videos were overtly sexual or had clear sexual overtones, many caused great distress and some resulted in the need for immediate emergency medical treatment. "I am entirely satisfied the motivations of all involved was a mix of sexual gratification as well as sexual reward. In many of the filmed procedures, the consequence is severe blood loss and many are in clear and acute pain. One is heard on film saying he does not want to die. To many of those looking at this case the activity at the very least will appear to be disgusting and abhorrent." However, common sense prevailed and all six gang members lost their appeal to have their sentences reduced at an appeal last month.
Sky News
30-04-2025
- Sky News
Mastermind behind 'eunuch maker' extreme body modification ring Marius Gustavson loses sentence appeal
The mastermind behind the "eunuch maker" extreme body modification ring has lost an appeal against his life sentence. Warning: The following article contains graphic details of extreme physical mutilation Norwegian national Marius Gustavson, 47, was told he must serve a minimum term of 22 years when he was jailed at the Old Bailey last year. He made almost £300,000 through his eunuch maker website, where thousands of users paid to watch procedures including castrations, the court heard. The life-changing surgeries, described as "little short of human butchery" by the judge, were carried out by people with no medical qualifications, who he had recruited. Prosecutors said there was "clear evidence of cannibalism" as Gustavson - who had his own penis and nipple removed and leg frozen so it needed to be amputated - cooked testicles to eat in a salad. Gustavson, who was said to have been involved in almost 30 procedures, pleaded guilty to charges including conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm between 2016 and 2022. Nine other men admitted their involvement in the ring, which one victim said had a "cult-like" atmosphere. Gustavson and five others jailed over their roles in the plot challenged their sentences. Janus Atkin, 39, David Carruthers, 62, Ashley Williams, 33, were jailed for 12 years, 11 years and four and a half years respectively after admitting conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm (GBH). Damien Byrnes, 37, was jailed for five years and Jacob Crimi-Appleby, 24, for three years and eight months after pleading guilty to causing GBH to Gustavson. Lawyers for the men argued the sentencing guidelines did not properly take into account a scenario in which people had consented to be assaulted. But in a 25-page judgment, three judges dismissed the appeals. Lord Justice William Davis said: "The sentences were intended to give a message to anyone minded to engage in highly dangerous procedures involving body modifications. "That reflected an appropriate purpose of sentencing." The Old Bailey heard extreme body modification is linked to a subculture where men become "nullos", short for genital nullification, by having their penis and testicles removed. Victims included a 16-year-old boy and one said he went to police after feeling he was "tricked" into a procedure while under the influence of drugs. Gustavson used a red hot iron to brand a man's calf with the letters EM - eunuch maker - while a dice game was played to decide what body parts would be removed from another. When officers raided his north London home, they found body parts, including testicles, kept in takeaway tubs in his freezer, while Gustavson's own penis was found in a drawer almost four years after it was amputated.
Daily Record
30-04-2025
- Daily Record
'Eunuch maker' used human testicles in salad and froze own leg to need amputation
A man cooked human testicles to eat in a salad. Marius Gustavson, the leader of an extreme body modification ring, also had his penis removed with a kitchen knife. He was jailed for life with a minimum term of 22 years last year for his role in the enterprise. The ring carried out male castration, penis removal and other procedures on people as young as 16. His case has re-emerged at court after he lost a challenge against his sentence at the Court of Appeal. The Old Bailey heard last year that extreme body modification is linked to a subculture where men become 'nullos', short for genital nullification, by having their penis and testicles removed. Prosecutor Caroline Carberry KC told the court that Gustavson made more than £300,000 between 2017 and 2021 after posting videos of various procedures on his Eunuch Maker website. The Norwegian once cooked human testicles to eat in a salad and also froze his own leg so it needed to be amputated, with Ms Carberry saying he was linked to at least 29 procedures and that there was 'clear evidence of cannibalism'. The court heard that the defendants used a wide variety of tools, including clamps used for animal castration. Body parts were put up for auction online with a 'buy it now' button. Gustavson challenged his sentence at the Court of Appeal in February alongside Janus Atkin, David Carruthers, Ashley Williams, Damien Byrnes and Jacob Crimi-Appleby. They all received jail terms of between three years and eight months and 12 years for their part in the plot. Lawyers for the men argued earlier this year that sentencing guidelines used to determine how long they should be jailed for did not adequately take into account a scenario where people had given consent to be assaulted. However, in a ruling on Wednesday, Lord Justice William Davis, Mr Justice Griffiths and Judge Simon Drew KC dismissed all six appeals. In the 25-page judgment, Lord Justice William Davis said that the sentencing judge 'carried out a difficult sentencing exercise' and that the case was 'extremely unusual'. He said: 'The adjustments made to the sentences to allow for the unusual circumstances were reasonable and proportionate. 'The sentences were intended to give a message to anyone minded to engage in highly dangerous procedures involving body modifications. That reflected an appropriate purpose of sentencing.' Lord Justice William Davis also said that they 'endorse the general approach taken by the judge in reflecting consent'. He said that the reduction in Gustavson's sentence for this was 'generous'. He said: 'Because cases of consensual grievous bodily harm are rare, consistency must give way to the judge in each case assessing the issue of consent by reference to the individual circumstances of the case.' He went on to say: 'The judge was correct to use the guideline to reach an appropriate sentence and then to make some deduction to allow for the element of consent.' Gustavson also offered to sell the severed penis of one of his victims for hundreds of pounds, with some 22,000 subscribers paying to access videos on the Eunuch Maker website with varying levels of membership from 'free' to 'VIP' which cost £100. He was arrested after he used a red-hot iron to brand a man's calf with the letters EM – for Eunuch Maker. After he was detained, police found his penis in a drawer of his home in Haringey, north London, four years after it had been amputated. He later pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit grievous bodily harm, five counts of grievous bodily harm with intent, making and distributing an indecent photograph of a child, and possession of criminal property. The other defendants also admitted their part in the conspiracy relating to 13 victims. Atkin, Carruthers, and Williams, of Newport, Gwent, were jailed for 12 years, 11 years and four years, six months respectively for conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm. Byrnes, of north London, and Crimi-Appleby, of Epsom, Surrey, were jailed after admitting causing grievous bodily harm to Gustavson. Byrnes was jailed for five years for removing Gustavson's penis with a kitchen knife on video at his home on February 18 2017. Crimi-Appleby was jailed for three years and eight months for freezing Gustavson's leg, leading to the need for it to be amputated in February 2019.
