A former moderator of NeoGAF has reportedly been arrested in a child porn case, with users of the video game forum recognizing Christopher Goldberg of Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania as the mod Amir0x.
Goldberg’s home was raided by police on June 28, with them discovering a cellphone containing a child porn video and 53 child porn images featuring child aged between 4 and 12. A Dell laptop seized at the property also contained software used to download child porn along with “files with names indicative of child porn,” according to the Pocono Record. The 32-year-old reportedly told investigators that he had “many types of fetishes,” calling the images an “outlet” for his urges and claiming that he did not believe they were illegal.
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NeoGAF users have now made the connection between Goldberg and his NeoGAF handle, with him allegedly posting to the site under the username Amir0x. Amir0x was a moderator for the popular forum a little under a decade ago, though several posts made by him discussing pedophilia have now been brought to light, leading to many longtime users feeling uneasy that they may have taken part in discussions with someone who has now reportedly been charged with possession of child porn.
In one thread, Amir0x wrote in regards to child sex offenders:
“It’s deplorable the crime they are trying to commit, but I also understand it’s likely a type of attraction they’re unfortunately born with and so it’d be more constructive to try to find some way to deal with these folk that didn’t also trap them into a hell spiral that makes any chance at changing impossible as even getting help is stigmatized.”
In another thread, Amir0x discussed his thoughts on the punishment sex offenders should receive, writing: “Pedophiles injure their victims in a way that lasts a lifetime. I am not sure why I should care that they have to be on a list that constitutes punishment lasting for a lifetime.”
NeoGAF owner Tyler Malka, known as EvilLore on the form, issued a statement regarding Amir0x’s apparent arrest, discussing a previous incident on the site wherein he set up a GoFundMe to ostensibly support his sick mother, before using the money for his own personal needs. He also referenced claims that the NeoGAF was attempting a “cover up” of Amir0x’s posts, saying that there was “no conspiracy” on the site.
Malka wrote:
“Amir0x hasn’t been a moderator here for the better part of a decade and has not had any association with the site other than as a regular member here since then. Most of the current moderators were not even around yet when Amir0x got kicked out, and this was a very long time ago and his real name was not on file. He was originally released after an ethics incident where someone called him out for making some posts arguing about some video game (IIRC), he claimed he didn’t, and then went back and deleted the posts in question to try to save face, but not before it was all seen and he was sacked. There have also been troubling circumstances since then, also many years ago now, where he posted a GoFundMe for his sick mother to be able to afford at-home dialysis, and then afterwards claimed publicly to be relieved to have a break from financial burdens related to taking care of her that allowed for him to go on some recreational drug binge with his personal salary instead. He was disgraced for that as well, admitted fault, and reaffirmed that the GoFundMe dialysis funds went directly to his mom and that he did not pocket any of it, just indirectly benefited, which was still absolutely not something to be bragging about, and he claimed to go into rehab afterwards to address his drug problems. The rehab stuff is the main reason he wasn’t permanently banned at the time.
The mod team just informed me of the circumstances re: this thread earlier today linking him to an arrest for some heinous stuff; as per standard policy here, the mod team doesn’t let unconfirmed allegations and doxxing run wild for an internet witch hunt, whether someone is a member here or not, so the thread got deleted pending further confirmation. Looks like it’s been confirmed to be him, however. Again, no one on the moderation team even knew his real name, so it was not something that could be confirmed immediately. His account has been permanently banned in response, but it looks like that’ll be the least of his concerns.
That’s all. No conspiracy. Thanks.”
