A former senior attorney with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has pleaded guilty to engaging in the exploitation of young girls by convincing them to perform sexually explicit acts on a live internet stream. Mark Black, a 50-year-old resident of Arlington, Virginia, was found to be a member of two internet groups dedicated to exploiting children, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
The Department of Justice stated that the primary objective of these groups was to find prepubescent girls online and persuade them to livestream themselves engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Court documents reveal that Black and other members of the groups secretly recorded these acts and shared the videos amongst themselves. This illicit behavior took place between January 2018 and October 2021.
One specific incident mentioned in the court documents occurred in July 2019, when Black recorded a prepubescent minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct on a streaming application. Later that month, Black and an unnamed co-conspirator convinced another minor to perform similar acts on a platform for sharing photos and videos.
The FDIC confirmed that Black was suspended once the allegations came to light, emphasizing that his activities were unrelated to the agency or its resources. On Tuesday, Black pleaded guilty to conspiracy to produce child pornography, as well as coercion and enticement. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 30, with a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum of life behind bars.
The investigation into this case was conducted by the FBI and the FDIC’s Office of Inspector General, as part of a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation.
It is important to note that the FDIC spokesperson has stated that Black’s actions do not reflect the agency or its resources. The FDIC promptly took action upon learning about the allegations against Black.
This case highlights the ongoing efforts to address child exploitation and the crucial role that law enforcement agencies play in combating such heinous crimes. The guilty plea of a former senior attorney serves as a reminder that no one is above the law when it comes to protecting children from abuse.
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