Jewish pedophile communicated with 1,000 girls

Police named a 33-year-old Tel Aviv man as a suspect in an investigation into Internet pedophilia on Monday, saying he may have contacted as many as 1,000 girls.

Avinoam Braverman, who once served in a specialized IDF computer unit, allegedly targeted girls aged eight to 15 in recent years, luring them into text-based and video communications, in which he exposed himself, masturbated in front of them and convinced at least three of them to have sex with him.

Braverman is suspected of rape, sodomizing minors, indecent acts, sexual harassment and possessing and distributing pedophilic materials. Police are also checking to see if he was in touch with other pedophiles.

“He is one of the most sophisticated suspects we have come across,” a spokesman for the police’s Lahav 433 unit’s Computer Crimes Division, which led the investigation, told The Jerusalem Post.

On three occasions, virtual relations crossed the line into the real world, police said, adding that they are looking for more victims.

Braverman would convince the girls to let him visit after they came home from school, and before their parents returned from work, police said. He allegedly calculated with cold precision the time he had to have sex with the girls.

Some of the virtual relationships went on for months, until the youngsters agreed to meet with Braverman, police said.

In some cases, he would “convince the girls to pretend to be sick, thereby giving him time to meet them at home when their parents were away,” police added.

“The suspect drove to the girls’ homes, or would invite them to his home, and pay their travel expenses. He would offer them other treats, like a trip, or pizza,” police said.

Online, Braverman allegedly exploited everyday Web technology to satisfy his pedophilic urges.

“The suspect would send close-up images of his genitals and carry out indecent acts before the girls until reaching climax,” police said in a statement. “He convinced the girls to carry out indecent acts.

“Girls’ underwear was found in the suspect’s home. He would take them after having sexual relations. Furry dolls were also recovered – he would apparently hand them out to the girls,” officers said.

According to police, Braverman would spend months and years building up virtual relations.

He allegedly used an array of screen names, such as “Mos,” “Tomcat,” “Avi” or “Avinoam,” and posed as a man in his early 20s while frequenting Web sites targeted at children and youths.

“He would invite the minors to private conversations on ICQ and MSN Messenger, and begin sexually harassing them during the chats,” police said.

The suspect was arrested on January 6, and has had his custody extended repeatedly by the Rishon Lezion Magistrate’s Court. A partial gag order on the case was lifted on Monday. Police are asking to keep him in custody until the end of legal proceedings.

Ch.-Supt. Udi Shefran, head of the Lahav 433 unit’s Computer Crimes Division, said a great deal of evidence has been amassed against the suspect, including computers with pedophilic images of young girls seized from his home.

Israel Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said,
“This case shows that while the Internet can be a positive tool, it also leaves minors utterly exposed. I would urge all parents to monitor their children’s Internet activities.”

Police are asking every parent who suspects their daughter fell victim to the suspect to contact the Computer Crimes Division at (08) 954-5389.

http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?id=167543