US embassy cable - 05LIMA4394

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LIMA 004394 
 
SIPDIS 
 
G/TIP FOR LINDA BROWN 
DRL FOR SCHECHTER, NEWLING, RIGG 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/08/2014 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PINR, PE 
SUBJECT: LATIN AMERICA MISSING PERSONS (LAMP) NETWORK 
REVEALS RUSSIAN CHILD PORN RING LINKED TO U.S. 
 
REF: A. 04 LIMA 159 
     B. 03 LIMA 6120 
     C. 03 LIMA 6114 
 
Classified By: Political Counselor Alexander Margulies.  Reason:  1.4 ( 
b,d). 
 
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Summary: 
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1.  (C) The authors of the Peruvian website for Missing 
Persons, www.peruanosdesaparecidos.com, are now establishing 
a series of similar and interlinked web pages for missing 
persons in other countries called the Latin American Network 
for Missing Persons (LAMP).   The system has already helped 
solve missing persons and TIP cases in a number of countries 
(including Latin Americans seeking information about 
relatives in the U.S. affected by Hurricanes Katrina and 
Rita).  LAMP has also developed information about a new child 
pornography portal based out of St. Petersburg, Russia.  The 
unique feature of the Russian child porn site is its payment 
method.  Clients can only contract services by using a system 
called E-Gold, essentially a kind of bullion-based version of 
Paypal that guarantees complete anonymity.  E-Gold is a U.S. 
company based in Orlando, Florida.  It has been in business 
since 1996.  End Summary. 
 
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A Powerful Tool Against TIP 
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2.  (U) Antonio Querol and Gonzalo Sarmiento, the authors of 
the Peruvian website for Missing Persons, 
Peruanosdesaparecidos.com, are now establishing a series of 
similar and interlinked web pages for missing persons in 
other countries called the Latin American Network for Missing 
Persons (LAMP).  Since last year, Querol and Sarmiento have 
worked with Save the Children Switzerland to set up missing 
persons web pages for Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Guatemala and 
Chile.  Installation is ongoing in Mexico.  As with the 
original Peruvian web page, the system enables persons to 
post information about missing relatives -- photos, 
descriptions and biographic data )- and to receive anonymous 
messages from those who may have seen their lost loved ones. 
The Peruvian version of the web page also permits citizens to 
denounce clandestine brothels and other trafficking related 
activities, information that can be passed on to law 
enforcement.  Posts can check out this evolving website at: 
www.latinoamericanosdesaparecidos.org/default .php.  (For 
background on Querol and Sarmiento, who are both key Peruvian 
activists against TIP, see reftels.) 
 
3.  (U) Of the five countries where the system is fully 
installed, only Chile had a registry for mission persons 
prior to the initiation of the web page.  Reportedly, the 
system is already showing results in the countries where it 
is up and running, aiding in the detention of a North 
American suspected of producing on-line pornography in 
Nicaragua, facilitating the identification of a dead body in 
Costa Rica, and blocking two illegal adoptions in Guatemala. 
Most recently, the website has been adapted to enable Latin 
Americans to contact relatives who may have gone missing in 
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. 
 
4.  (U) In addition to solving cases, the announcement of the 
web pages has proven to be a media event that can be used to 
raise the profile of TIP in each of the target countries. 
Human Rights Officers interested in the system can contact 
Querol and Sarmiento through Save the Children. 
 
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Anonymity for Child Pornography Customers? 
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5.  (C) Recently, a source in Chile notified the LAMP network 
about the existence of an explicit portal featuring sexually 
oriented pictures of underage (and sometimes visibly 
undernourished) young girls based out of St. Petersburg, 
Russia.  Querol and Sarmiento provided the web address of the 
site, http://lol.kiss.info.  One novel feature of the Russian 
site is the payment method required.  Prospective clients 
must sign up for a service called "E-Gold" based out of 
Orlando, Florida.  E-Gold is a kind of PayPal that promises 
ultimate discretion for consumers who do not want to leave 
tracks.  The company promises clients absolute anonymity. 
E-Gold has been in business since 1996.  The Russian website 
first went up in the beginning of August.  According to 
tracking software used by Querol and Sarmiento, it has 
already registered over one million hits. 
 
6.  (C) Post has notified U.S. Customs about E-Gold and an 
investigation is underway. 
 
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An Opportunity for Embassies 
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7.  (U) Human Rights Officers in Latin America may wish to 
engage with Save the Children Switzerland's LAMP project, 
encouraging its installation in their countries and/or 
getting Embassies involved in launch ceremonies.  As LAMP 
goes on line in more places, it has the potential to turn up 
information of significant interest to relatives of missing 
persons, anti-TIP NGOs, and U.S. law enforcement. 
STRUBLE