An Illinois woman has admitted to funding and sharing grisly animal torture videos that were circulated in private online groups, and federal authorities say the case exposes a disturbing underground market for these materials. The defendant pleaded guilty in mid-April to charges tied to distributing so-called animal crush videos and taking payments for access. Prosecutors say the footage showed brutal mutilation and killings of monkeys and that at least one other person has pleaded guilty in related activity.
The defendant, identified as Amanda Leigh Fourez, acknowledged sending money to have violent content produced and then sharing those files with others in closed chats. Investigators say she made multiple payments and distributed videos on numerous occasions. Her actions drew attention from federal law enforcement agencies tracking illegal online communities that trade in abusive material.
‘What kind of sick person would pay someone to make a video of sexualized animal torture?’
“Fourez admitted to her role in making these horrific videos and posting them online,” reads a statement from ICE Director Todd Lyons. The agency framed the case as part of broader efforts to disrupt sadistic online networks that profit from cruelty. Officials emphasized that these communities often operate in the shadows, swapping payments and content across private platforms.
“What kind of sick person would pay someone to make a video of sexualized animal torture?” he continued. “ICE will continue investigating these sadistic online groups and do everything in our power to stop them.”
According to court filings, the videos at the center of the investigation depicted extreme harm to animals, including genital mutilation and burning of adult and infant monkeys. Those details have drawn outrage from animal welfare groups and people who track online exploitation. Prosecutors say the material was sexualized and shared within niche communities that actively sought out graphic cruelty.
Fourez admitted she made at least 11 payments to have videos created, and that she shared videos at least 10 times with other members of those groups. The transactions suggest a small but active market where participants pay for new footage or access to exclusive content. Financial trails and messaging records were critical in linking payments to specific exchanges and establishing guilt.
Another defendant in the same investigation, Joseph Garrett Buckland of Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, also pleaded guilty earlier this year for creating and distributing similar videos. Authorities say Buckland produced some of the footage that was later sold and shared in the networks. He is awaiting sentencing and faces federal penalties tied to conspiracy charges.
Buckland is scheduled for sentencing this fall and faces up to five years in prison for his role in producing and distributing the videos. Fourez faces a similar statutory maximum and has a sentencing date set for late summer. Federal punishments can also include hefty fines, and prosecutors often seek to use financial penalties as part of broader deterrence efforts.
Fourez is a U.S. citizen in her early thirties, and court documents list specific dates and transactions that prosecutors say tied her to the payments. The case underscores how digital payments and private group chats can facilitate criminal behavior that previously would have been harder to coordinate. Law enforcement officials say they are increasing scrutiny of platforms that enable the anonymous sale and trade of exploitative media.
The legal filings and public statements from investigators are meant to send a warning to anyone involved in creating or buying this kind of content. Officials involved in the case describe these groups as organized and secretive but not beyond the reach of federal prosecutors. The prosecutions hinge on proving both the creation and the distribution of criminal material as part of a conspiracy.
Court timelines show both defendants will learn their fates at upcoming sentencing hearings where judges will weigh statutory guidelines and the details of their offenses. Observers expect the case to be cited in future discussions about how best to police abusive material online and how to cut off the revenue streams that sustain it. For now, the focus remains on pursuing those who commission, produce, and share images and videos that depict deliberate cruelty to animals.
