Latest news with #privacyviolation
The Independent
7 hours ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Senior aide to New Zealand prime minister resigns over secret recordings of sex workers
A senior aide to New Zealand prime minister Christopher Luxon has resigned after being accused of secretly recording sex workers and taking non-consensual photos and videos of women. The allegations against Michael Forbes surfaced when a sex worker discovered his phone was recording audio while he was in the shower, NZ 's Stuff reported earlier this week. Mr Luxon's deputy chief press secretary has since offered his 'sincerest apologies to the women I have harmed'. PM Luxon called the revelations a 'shock' and said that Mr Forbes' behaviour was 'unacceptably short of the standards that I expect from our people'. 'My sympathy is with the women who raised these allegations and were made to feel unsafe due to the actions of this person,' Mr Luxon said on Thursday. According to Stuff, Mr Forbes' encounter with the sex worker took place in July 2024. After being confronted about the secret audio recording, he reportedly handed over his phone password. The woman, along with other sex workers from that brothel, discovered numerous audio recordings of similar sessions, along with photos and videos on the device. At the time, Mr Forbes was serving as press secretary to social development minister Louise Upston. He was appointed acting deputy chief press secretary to the prime minister in February this year. Police reportedly looked into the allegations in July last year but ultimately chose not to pursue charges. Mr Luxon said: 'We had no awareness, no knowledge of it. The concerns were raised with us by a journalist at four o'clock on Tuesday,' he said. The prime minister said that the police investigation was not disclosed to Mr Forbes' employer under the 'no surprises' convention, nor did Mr Forbes disclose the allegations himself. 'He was vetted coming into Louise Upston's office. As I understand it, the incidents happened subsequent to that,' he said. 'He has an obligation to actually declare those issues or those incidences to us. That didn't happen, which is why his employment would have been terminated.' In a statement to RNZ on Thursday, detective inspector John Van Den Heuvel from Wellington police said that 'on examining the phones, police also found a number of photos and video of women in public spaces, and what appears to be women in private addresses, taken from a distance away'. 'Police considered the available evidence and concluded it did not meet the requirements for criminality, and therefore charges could not be filed. 'The individual concerned voluntarily spoke with police and admitted to taking the images and recordings. He was reminded of the inappropriateness of his behaviour and encouraged to seek help.' Meanwhile, the prime minister said: 'When you have an incident like this, it actually creates a whole bunch of new questions.' He added: 'They need to do a deep dive on understanding how and what happened here and why. And importantly, then look at what we need to do to strengthen our processes.' In a statement, Mr Forbes said on Wednesday: 'In the past, I was in a downward spiral due to unresolved trauma and stress, and when confronted with the impacts of my behaviour a year ago, I sought professional help, which is something I wish I had done much earlier.' He said: 'What I failed to do then was make a genuine attempt to apologise. Instead, I tried to move on without offering those I had harmed the acknowledgement, accountability, or amends they deserved. I recognise how wrong that was.' 'I understand that my past actions may have undermined the trust people place in me. So, I have resigned from my job to focus on the work I need to do.' The office of Mr Forbes' former boss Mr Upston said in a statement: 'The minister was not aware of any allegations before they were raised with PMO yesterday. Minister Upston has nothing further to add to the PMs statement on this.'
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Real Madrid sex scandal: Lawyers for minor involved in beach club sex video call for FOUR YEARS in prison for star defender Raul Asencio
The lawyers of the girl at the heart of Real Madrid 's sex scandal case are reportedly seeking a four-year prison sentence for defender Raul Asencio. Asencio is accused of sharing a video involving the girl, who was 16 at the time it was filmed, and doing so knowing she did not give her permission for it to be taken. He insists he is innocent. The centre-back has a rising status in the game and started both Champions League semi-final legs against Arsenal after becoming a first-team regular this season. The video was allegedly filmed by former youth team-mates Ferran Ruiz, 22, Andres Garcia, 22, and Juan Rodriguez, 23, in June 2023, involving the girl and another who was 18 at the time. Those three are accused of 'disclosure of secrets without consent, and violation of privacy, distributing and sending videos to third parties without consent, capturing and using minors for pornographic purposes and possession of child pornography'. Asencio and the three other players were arrested at Real Madrid's training centre in September 2023 following a complaint lodged by the mother of the 16-year-old girl who appears in the video. Now AS reports that Asensio - who is charged with 'revealing secrets in conjunction with another of child pornography' - could face four years behind bars if he is found guilty. Cadena Cope add that the alleged victim's lawyers want £48,900 in compensation for her and a £16.86 fine per day for 10 months -a request the 18-year-old will also make, the outlet adds. At the time, Spanish media reported that one of the footballers had recorded a consensual sexual encounter with the young girl before sending the video to the other players without her consent. Asencio has established himself as a first-team regular in his breakthrough season at Madrid. In a statement, he said that documents from a Gran Canaria court indicated his possible involvement was limited 'to the possible momentary viewing of some images by a third party, without attributing any involvement to me in the recording or dissemination'. Fans at various stadiums around Spain have jeered Asencio, with some Barcelona fans chanting 'Asencio, to jail' during the Clasico. Real Madrid's Copa del Rey semi-final win at Real Sociedad in February was briefly paused by the referee after home fans chanted 'Asencio die'. According to the court ruling, both women show symptoms consistent with post-traumatic stress disorder, Spanish sports outlet AS reported. The judge at the Gran Canaria High Court said there was enough evidence to support allegations of violation of privacy, distribution of videos to third parties without the victims' knowledge or consent, solicitation of a minor for pornographic purposes and possession of child pornography. Article 197 of Spain's Criminal Code states that any individual convicted of recording and sharing an explicit video of a minor will face between three-and-a-half and five years in prison. This would drop to a two-and-a-half to four-year prison sentence if found guilty of non-consensual recording. If Asencio is culpable of only sharing the video the sentence would be expected to be less severe. The authorities confirmed charges were filed by the mother of the 16-year-old girl over the alleged non-consensual filming of her daughter. The complainant has stated that the sexual activity was consensual, but the recording of it was not. Following his arrest in 2023, Asencio tried to have his part in the case dismissed in February by appealing to end the investigation into his alleged role, however the judge decided to uphold the decision to move ahead with the inquiry. Asencio has had his breakthrough campaign at Real this season and spoke about the allegations after being called up to the Spain national team for the first time. Last month he told RTVE: 'I think everyone is aware of what they are doing. For that reason, I am very calm. 'So, well, live day by day. In the end, it's a matter of deadlines. I have noticed this change of pressure on the pitches. 'It's logical, with the change of category (after Spain call-up). I'm a person who likes and is motivated by feeling that pressure. Since I was a kid, I'm used to feeling that pressure at Real Madrid. It makes me even more motivated.' He has played 22 games for Carlo Ancelotti's side this season in a disappointing campaign for Los Blancos that looks set to finish without silverware. In February, Asencio went public on his relationship with Spanish influencer Selenia Suarez, who regularly attends the Bernabeu to watch him and is unrelated to the criminal case.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Five-star Miami hotel sued for staff member's disgusting act on guest while she was in the shower
A hotel staff member working at a luxury five-star resort in Miami is being sued for allegedly storming into a guest's locked room to stare at her naked while she was in the shower. The 48-year-old alleged victim, identified as C.N., was on a weekend getaway with her boyfriend at the St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort on December 11, 2023, when the terrifying incident unfolded, a lawsuit states.
Daily Mail
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Real Madrid star Raul Asencio breaks silence as he faces criminal trial over shocking video of underage girl allegedly having sex with three team-mates
Real Madrid defender Raul Asencio has broken his silence after being indicted along with three former youth players at the club, for the alleged distribution of a sexual video involving a minor. The 22-year-old football star allegedly solicited a video filmed by team-mates Ferran Ruiz, 22, Andres Garcia, 22, and Juan Rodriguez, 23, in June 2023 which involved a minor and another young girl, aged 16 and 18 respectively at the time. The players are accused of 'disclosure of secrets without consent, and violation of privacy, distributing and sending videos to third parties without consent, capturing and using minors for pornographic purposes and possession of child pornography'. The judge in the case later clarified Asencio has not been charged with recording the video but remains indicted on charges of revealing secrets for showing the video to a third party and of child pornography. Asencio denied the charges in a lengthy released later on Thursday. 'I have not participated in any behaviour that violates the sexual freedom of any woman, much less minors,' he said. Asencio and the three other players were arrested at Real Madrid's training centre in September 2023 following a complaint lodged by the mother of the 16-year-old girl who appears in the video. At the time, Spanish media reported that one of the footballers had recorded a consensual sexual encounter with the young girl before sending the video to the other players without her consent. The Real star's full statement read: 'Following the clarification issued today by the head of the Investigating Court No. 3 of San Bartolomé de Tirajana—in which the initial indictment order was amended, expressly excluding me from both the recording of videos with sexual content and the events that were the subject of said recording—and in view of the public dissemination of information related to said procedure, I wish to state the following: '1. I have not participated in any behavior that violates the sexual freedom of any woman, much less that of minors. 'This is confirmed by the ruling issued by the aforementioned Court, which does not accuse me of having had sexual relations with the two women involved, nor of having recorded them, with or without their consent. Likewise, the court order clarifies that I was not the one who sent any intimate images or videos to third parties, which, I reiterate, were recorded in a location other than where I was. '2. The court order, as far as I am concerned, limits its content to the eventual momentary viewing of some images by a third party, without attributing to me any participation in their recording or dissemination. '3. The charges brought against me, as expressly stated in the court ruling itself, are strictly provisional. Therefore, the presumption of innocence must continue to prevail. Should charges ultimately be filed and a trial commence, I will continue to defend myself before the Courts and Tribunals, in which I have full confidence, reaffirming my innocence of any criminal conduct. All of this is without prejudice to the utmost respect for the conduct of the judicial proceedings as a whole, including those of the other persons under investigation. '4. I want to reiterate, once again, my absolute respect for the rights to sexual freedom and privacy of all women.' 🚨 COMUNICADO OFICIAL DE ASENCIO 🚨 Quiero reiterar, una vez más, mi absoluto respeto por los derechos a la libertad sexual y a la intimidad de todas las mujeres. ESTAMOS CONTIGO @RaulAsencio7 👏🏻 — REAL MADRID FANS 🤍 (@AdriRM33) May 15, 2025 Asencio has established himself as a first-team regular in his breakthrough season at Madrid. Fans at various stadiums around Spain have jeered Asencio, with some Barcelona fans chanting 'Asencio, to jail' during the Clasico on Sunday. Real Madrid's Copa del Rey semi-final win at Real Sociedad in February was briefly paused by the referee after home fans chanted 'Asencio die'. According to the court ruling, both women show symptoms consistent with post-traumatic stress disorder, Spanish sports outlet AS reported. The judge at the Gran Canaria High Court said there was enough evidence to support allegations of violation of privacy, distribution of videos to third parties without the victims' knowledge or consent, solicitation of a minor for pornographic purposes and possession of child pornography. Article 197 of Spain's Criminal Code states that any individual convicted of recording and sharing an explicit video of a minor will face between three-and-a-half and five years in prison. This would drop to a two-and-a-half to four-year prison sentence if found guilty of non-consensual recording. If Asencio is culpable of only sharing the video the sentence would be expected to be less severe. The authorities confirmed charges were filed by the mother of the 16-year-old girl over the alleged non-consensual filming of her daughter. The complainant has stated that the sexual activity was consensual, but the recording of it was not. Following his arrest in 2023, Asencio tried to have his part in the case dismissed in February by appealing to end the investigation into his alleged role, however the judge decided to uphold the decision to move ahead with the inquiry. Asencio has had his breakthrough campaign at Real this season and spoke about the allegations after being called up to the Spain national team for the first time. Last month he told RTVE: 'I think everyone is aware of what they are doing. For that reason, I am very calm. 'So, well, live day by day. In the end, it's a matter of deadlines. I have noticed this change of pressure on the pitches. 'It's logical, with the change of category (after Spain call-up). I'm a person who likes and is motivated by feeling that pressure. Since I was a kid, I'm used to feeling that pressure at Real Madrid. It makes me even more motivated.' He has played 22 games for Carlo Ancelotti's side this season in a disappointing campaign for Los Blancos that looks set to finish without silverware. In February, Asencio went public on his relationship with Spanish influencer Selenia Suarez, who regularly attends the Bernabeu to watch him and is unrelated to the criminal case.
The Guardian
15-05-2025
- The Guardian
Real Madrid's Raúl Asencio could face trial over alleged sharing of explicit video
The Real Madrid defender Raúl Asencio and three former youth players at the club could face trial in connection with the alleged filming and distribution of a sexual video that has left two women, one of them a minor, with symptoms of post-traumatic stress. In a statement released on Wednesday, a judge on Gran Canaria said he had concluded his preliminary investigation into the recording and distribution of the incident, which is alleged to have taken place in a private area of a beach club on the island on 15 June 2023. The judge added that a summary criminal case had been prepared and the file given to prosecutors 'regarding the four footballers allegedly implicated in the filming and distribution of videos of a sexual nature involving a female minor and another young woman'. He noted that the alleged victims – who were 16 and 18 at the time – 'are currently suffering post-traumatic symptoms as a result of the experience they have been through'. The judge said the alleged offences included 'sharing secrets without consent and violating privacy, distributing and sending videos to third parties without the consent of the women involved, the use of minors for pornographic purposes, and possession of child pornography'. The court statement did not identify the men allegedly involved – nor explain which player is accused of which offence – but they have been identified in Spanish media as Asencio and his former colleagues Andrés García, Ferrán Ruiz and Juan Rodríguez. In September 2023, three unnamed Real Madrid reserve players were arrested in connection with the incident and were released after the data on their mobile phones was seized. According to Spanish media reports the main suspect, whose identity is unknown, recorded a consensual sexual encounter with the young girl, which he then sent to the other players without her consent. Police said the case had followed a complaint filed by the mother of a 16-year-old girl in the Canary Islands regarding an alleged recording of sexual relations. They added that while the girl maintained the relations were consensual, the recording had been made without her consent and that she had recently become aware of it. Real Madrid issued a statement at the time saying that a total of four youth team players had been questioned by police 'in connection with a complaint about an alleged release of a private video via WhatsApp' messaging system.
