One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
'Innocence Of Muslims' Filmmaker Could Go To Prison For Using The Internet
The filmmaker and felon behind the "Innocence of Muslims" could be heading back to prison.
Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, 55, wasn't supposed to be using for the internet—unless he asked permission—for five years after he served time in prison for bank fraud. But since his film the "Innocence of Muslims" was posted to YouTube (and later translated into Arabic), federal probation officials are investigating whether he might have actually violated the conditions of his parole.
Nakoula, a resident of Cerritos and a Coptic Christian, has a lengthy criminal record. He most recently served time in prison after opening credit cards with fake identities and drawing tens of thousands of dollars from those accounts, according to the Los Angeles Times. He was convicted in 2010 and ordered to pay $790,000 in restitution, but he was released from prison early in June 2011.
In 1997, he was convicted of possessing the ingredients to manufacture meth, including ephedrine and hydriodic acid. Authorities found $45,000 in cash in a paper bag when they pulled him over. In testimony, one deputy claimed that Nakoula was transporting pills from a storage facility in Downey to Lake Elsinore.
Karen Redmond, a spokeswoman for the administrative office of the U.S. Courts in Washington, D.C., told City News Service that the federal probation department is reviewing Nakoula's activities to figure out if he violated his probation. If so, he could end up back in prison.
Related:
The California Fraudster And Christian Behind The Inflammatory Anti-Muslim Film
Actors Say They Were Duped Into Working For Controversial Anti-Muslim Film
Stupid Islamaphobic YouTube Video Sparks Stupid Riots In Middle East
"Unspeakable Idiot": Israeli Behind Controversial Anti-Muslim Film Now In Hiding
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
