Anti-Muslim Filmmaker Nakoula Jailed On Probation Violations
Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, the filmmaker behind the “Innocence of Muslims” video that sparked days of rioting across the Muslim world, was ordered jailed without bail Thursday by a federal judge on probation violations.
Judge Suzanne Segal in Los Angeles cited a "lengthy pattern of deception," including making false statements to probation officials, the Los Angeles Times reported. "The court has a lack of trust in the defendant at this time," she said, adding that he posed "some danger to the community."
Nakoula was arrested earlier in the day. Federal prosecutors argued in a court hearing Thursday afternoon that he posed a flight risk and should remain in custody.
Nakoula was convicted on bank fraud charges in 2010the Los Angeles Times reports. As part of his sentence, he was ordered not to own or use devices with access to the Web without approval from his probation officer -– and any approved computers were to be used for work only.
There were also restrictions placed on him in enlisting others to get on the Internet for him. Some speculated that Nakoula may have violated those terms after the film trailer was loaded onto YouTube.
Nakoula was arrested in 2009 on suspicion of a scheme to create fake identities and open credit cards in those names, then draw tens of thousands of dollars from the phony accounts.
In June 2010, he was convicted on four counts, including bank fraud and identity theft, and was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison. He was also ordered to pay $794,700.57 in restitution. He was released, according to federal records, in June 2011.
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