Chef guilty of army general revenge porn blackmail bid

ADundee chef who tried to force a Middle Eastern general to pay him $50,000 to stop posting revenge porn now faces a lengthy prison term.

Karivan Mizuri was found guilty by a jury of trying to extort the money from the army officer to stop him posting more pictures of his daughter on the internet.

Mizuri was also found guilty of trying to extort a further £8,000 from a mechanic amid threats to post fake naked images of his family members on social media.

As the verdicts were returned at Dundee Sheriff Court and Mizuri was remanded in custody for reports, he launched a tirade of abuse at Sheriff Lorna Drummond QC.

“You found me guilty for something I’ve never done. It never happened,” he said.

“Why would I extort somebody for £50,000?

“My family has a takeaway and I live in a semi-detached villa.

“I don’t need the money.” Sheriff Drummond told him: “You have been found guilty by unanimous verdicts of this jury on two charges and you pled guilty to two further charges.

“All of these offences are aggravated by the fact you were on six bail orders at the time. These are very serious offences.

“Two of them involve disclosure of intimate images and a further two of attempting to extort thousands of pounds from others. You can expect a significant custodial sentence.”

The jury had heard how 30-year-old Mizuri had posted sexual pictures of a woman online from his home in Dundee and then threatened to post more.

He then targeted the woman’s father – an Iraqbased military officer – and demanded $50,000 to prevent him continuing.

The general, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the trial: “He has vilified my family’s reputation.

“He has posted my daughter’s naked photos. He used my daughter’s Facebook account. He has asked for money.”

The jury was told Mizuri had been involved in a relationship with the woman until she left and returned to her family in the Middle East.

Depute fiscal Lora Apostalova said: “The witness told you about the phone conversation with Mr Mizuri.

“On one occasion he said Mr Mizuri threatened him.

“He said he was going to turn his life to hell... and demanded $50,000.

“She (the woman in the pictures) became aware of the images of her online on August 14 2019 – a month before that conversation is said to have taken place.

“He was a straightforward witness, honest and upfront.

“He was candid. You will recall him becoming emotional on more than one occasion.

“I suggest he was being completely truthful about the conversation when $50,000 was demanded from him.”

Mizuri, from Dundee, was found guilty of trying to extort the money from the officer between September 18 and December 31 2019.

The jury found he had menaced his victim by making him apprehensive about further naked pictures of his daughter being posted online.

Mizuri was also found guilty of trying to extort £8,000 from a second man at his workplace in Dundee.

He told the man he would post fake sexual pictures of his family members on social media.

During the trial, Mizuri changed his plea to admit two other charges.

He admitted disclosing intimate images and videos of the woman without her permission.

He sent the images to named others while being reckless about the distress they would cause.

He also admitted acting in a threatening or abusive manner between 2019 and February last year by uploading images of the woman, along with pictures of her home and personal details about her.

Sentence was deferred for the Crown to prepare a narrative on the charges he pled guilty to, and for consideration of a nonharassment order.

All of these offences are aggravated by the fact you were on six bail orders at the time. These are very serious offences