Marius Gustavson, 46, was involved in procedures that were ‘little short of human butchery’, UK court heard. The leader of a “grisly and gruesome” extreme body modification network who streamed mutilations on his “eunuch maker” website has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 22 years.
Marius Gustavson, 46, was the “arch manipulator” of vulnerable victims and was said to have been involved in at least 29 procedures, which were “little short of human butchery”, the Old Bailey in London heard.
The “large-scale, dangerous and extremely disturbing” four-year enterprise included castrations, the use of clamps to crush testicles, penis removals, the freezing of limbs and administering electric shocks to a 16-year-old boy, which were streamed on Gustavson’s website.
The “busy and lucrative” business is estimated to have taken more than £300,000 from its 22,841 paying subscribers across the world between 2017 and 2021.
Gustavson, who had previously admitted charges including conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm, appeared for sentence via video link alongside six other men who had all admitted their part in the scheme. The charges relate to 13 victims who are being safeguarded by specialist detectives.
Judge Mark Lucraft, the recorder of London and most senior judge at the Old Bailey, said as he announced the sentence: “Gustavson, you are very much the mastermind behind this grisly and gruesome enterprise. The business you set up was one that was both busy and lucrative. As with all the others involved, you have no medical qualifications.”
He added: “The footage uploaded was extremely explicit and made available to paying subscribers no doubt so they could watch it for their sexual gratification […] Like-minded individuals were recruited by you, Gustavson, to assist in what became a large-scale, dangerous, and extremely disturbing enterprise.”
The prosecutor Caroline Carberry KC told the three-day sentencing hearing that there was “clear evidence” of cannibalism and that Gustavson had cooked testicles for lunch in an “artfully arranged salad platter”. He also kept numerous body parts as “trophies” in a fridge at his home in Harringay, north London and “sold” severed genitalia online.
What the fuck? How do people get like this?
The “busy and lucrative” business is estimated to have taken more than £300,000 from its 22,841 paying subscribers across the world between 2017 and 2021.
There’s seems to be no shortage of crazy people hiding behind the Internet willing to pay to watch people being tortured. So, even butchers like this can openly continue their “hobby”.
The strangest part is that for this to go on for so long, it needed willing participants…
While I don’t doubt that there are some people out there who would be willing participants (if with their own issues that are probably better delt with in a safer way), it sounds like at least some of the people he mutilated were manipulated (mentally, physically, it doesn’t say, but both are probable) in to agreeing.
That too, but jeez… pretty intense thing to go along with. Not one went to the police until after 4 years? That’s crazy.
That’s probably down to one or both being threatened to not go to the police, and/or deep shame of falling victims of the manipulation and fear of being publicly scrutinised for something so personal and traumatic, even though it’s not their fault (a lot of people like to think they wouldn’t or even couldn’t be manipulated by someone, but actually are being manipulated every day, for example by abusers making everyone believe they’re nice people “who could never hurt a fly”, no one is immune).
It isn’t at all unusual for victims of abuse, especially of something so extreme, not to come forward for a long long time, if at all.To me that bit’s the most relatable. Trying to explain to a cop how it is that you “let” this weird guy mutilate your genitals would be a bit daunting.
Or at least a doctor?
“Hey this got cut off in an accident and it’s been healing fine on its own but could you give me your opinion?” Lol
I guess that does make sense though
