Fred and Doreen Mastroianni
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; and James E. Dennehy, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced the unsealing of a Complaint charging FRED MASTROIANNI and DOREEN MASTROIANNI with cyberstalking, extortion, and conspiracy to commit extortion. DOREEN MASTROIANNI and FRED MASTROIANNI will be presented in White Plains federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Victoria Reznik on December 11, 2024, at 3:00 p.m.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Fred and Doreen Mastroianni have cyberstalked and conspired to extort victims by threatening to release compromising images of them to the public, allegedly engaging in this conduct even though Fred is already serving a 35-year prison sentence for receiving, distributing, and producing child pornography. This Office will continue to protect the community from those who repeatedly try to harm and exploit vulnerable citizens.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge James E. Dennehy said: “The Mastroianni siblings allegedly preyed on individuals who were victimized by Fred Mastroianni; stalking and conspiring to extort them for the siblings’ financial benefit. Victimization by sexual exploitation is beyond appalling and will not be tolerated. FBI New York will work tirelessly to hold accountable anyone attempting to utilize stalking and extortion for financial gain.”
As alleged in the Complaint unsealed today:[1]
FRED MASTROIANNI (“FRED”) is currently serving a 35-year sentence imposed by the Honorable Philip M. Halpern, U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of New York, on August 15, 2024, for receiving and distributing child pornography and for the sexual exploitation of a minor. DOREEN MASTROIANNI (“DOREEN”) is FRED’s sister.
Since at least October 2024, FRED and DOREEN have engaged in a plot to extort victims by threatening to release sexually explicit images and videos of the victims that FRED has saved. The extortion attempts are designed to compel victims to contribute money to FRED’s commissary account in prison and to fund the purchase of an insurance policy against DOREEN’s life for the benefit of FRED. FRED has used another inmate’s email account to send DOREEN draft extortion threats in furtherance of this scheme. At FRED’s direction, DOREEN has forwarded those extortion threats to victims on FRED’s behalf.
There may be more victims of this alleged conduct. If you have information to report, contact the FBI through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or https://tips.fbi.gov.
FRED, 54, formerly of White Plains, New York, and DOREEN, 69, of Yorktown Heights, New York, are each charged with one count of cyberstalking, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; one count of interstate extortion, which carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison; and one count of conspiracy to commit interstate extortion, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the work of the FBI’s Westchester Safe Streets Task Force.
This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan W. Allison, Margaret N. Vasu, and Courtney Heavey are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
According to the complaint, “Fred directed Doreen to set up an account that would allow him to send text messages from prison. Fred explained that he wanted to use this text message application to get victim 1 to pay this F*&%@ life insurance.”
The two had planned to extort another victim of Fred’s sex crimes, Vic-2.
The conservations desribed in the complaint come from recorded phone calls made by Fred from prison to his sister Doreen on the same phone number listed on her Realtor.com page.
Doreen also maintained Fred’s cache of pornography according to the complaint. Her son “saw things he never wanted to see.”
Reminding our readers that Fred was convicted of possessing thousands of images and videos, sharing those images with others over the internet, and for years extorting another person (“Individual-I”) to force Individual-1 repeatedly to capture and send to FRED sexually explicit images and videos of lndividual-1 ‘s prepubescent son.
After that history with Individual 1-Fred attempts to extort Ind 1 to participate in this life insurance policy scheme. After Ind 1 refuses the first request, Fred emails Vic 1 through Doreen, “I would never do anything to embarrass you or cause you discomfort on purpose unless I was pushed to the breaking point (which is where I currently am). I have friends in the adult entertain1nent business. One is the owner of a company which is the largest male porn management company in the country and the other is the owner of a lounge in NYC. Both had a lot of connections and are helping shop rny library of 3000 videos and 200,000++ photos. I can sell then my ENTIRE library or I can have certain files left out. Or I don’t have to sell anything.”
Doreen responds to Fred’s emails with “I find it hard to believe you put it in writing,” and “I find its content repugnant.”
Fred also owed victim 1 -$25,000 which was never repaid.
Fred’s videos of victim-1 occurred when Fred was 30 and Vic-1 was 15-years old. Fred took photos of Vic-1 while he masterbated.
Eventually, Vic-1 called Doreen to say he was not interested. and that he was “sorry that things were so bad that you (“Fred) had to sink that low to write that.”
Doreen should have gone to the FBI when Fred asked her to copy his folder of illegal porn and to extort Vic-1. Now she is facing 12 years in prison.
