Two British women have been charged after a global monkey torture ring was uncovered, with animals being set on fire and even put in a blender.
A years-long BBC investigation found the cruel ring operated around the world, with hundreds of Indonesians paying to torture and kill young long-tailed macaques on video.
British women Holly LeGresley, 37, from Kidderminster, and Adriana Orme, 55, from Upton-upon Severn, were charged in March with publishing an obscene article and causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.
Michael Macartney, 50, dubbed the “Torture King,” was charged in Virginia with conspiring to make and distribute images of crushing animals.
The defendant was one of three main distributors identified during an investigation into cruel monkey torture rings.
Two British women have been charged after a global monkey gang involved in animal torture was exposed
In a secretly filmed video, M Ajis Rasjana talks to an undercover reporter. He says that when he’s “really, really angry,” he hits the monkeys against the wall
Mr Macartney ran multiple chat groups for monkey torture enthusiasts from around the world via the encrypted messaging app Telegram.
The message groups were used to suggest monkey torture videos, such as setting monkeys on fire or even putting them in a blender.
The video suggestions were then sent, along with payments, to video makers in Indonesia who had committed the abuse, sometimes killing the baby long-tailed monkeys.
Mr. Macartney is accused by prosecutors of raising money from his chat groups and distributing videos showing the “torture, murder and sexually sadistic mutilation of animals.” He has agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy charges and faces up to five years in prison.
Last year, Macartney told the BBC Eye research team: ‘Do you want to see monkeys getting confused? I could bring it to you.’
Discussing the moment he joined his first Telegram monkey group, he said, “They set up a survey.
‘Do you want a hammer? Would you like some pliers? Would you like a screwdriver?’
Three participants, including Mr Macartney, have already been charged, according to the US BBC.
Two people have been arrested and jailed in Indonesia, while three women have been arrested in Britain, two of whom have now been charged.
The torture ring started on YouTube before moving to private groups on Telegram, the BBC World Service investigation found.
In a secretly filmed video, M Ajis Rasjana tells an undercover reporter that when he is “very, very angry” he hits the monkeys against the wall.
The torture ring started on YouTube before moving to private groups on Telegram, the BBC World Service investigation found
He noted that he hit a monkey’s head against the wall and blood came out of its mouth, which he said was “so cool,” as he laughed.
BBC journalists went undercover into one of Telegram’s main torture groups, where hundreds of people came together to plan torture ideas and order people in Indonesia and other countries in Asia to put them into practice.
The group wanted to create custom videos showing the abuse, torture and sometimes killing of baby long-tailed macaque monkeys.
The BBC has located the torturers in Indonesia, and the buyers and distributors in the US.
They also managed to gain access to an international law enforcement effort to have them punished for their actions.
At least 20 people, including three women living in Britain, are under investigation worldwide and arrested by police in 2022.
