8/9/2019 Aug Feat Craigslist Ultra[2]

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AUGUST 2009 MAXIM 101

Cameras at a BostonMarriott caughtfootage (left) of Julissa Brismans(topleft) allegedkiller.PolicearrestedPhilipMarko (above).

Outotheblue,onApril21,2009,I receivedaFacebookmessageroma reporter:Whatdoyou knowaboutPhilip

Marko?WhenIasked whytheinterest,her responsesurprisedme.Hesaccusedo murderinga womanhemet onCraigslist.PhilipMarko?Philfromcollege?Whoa.

PhilipMarkowasntmyriend, buthewasriendswithoneomyroommates.He wasntcreepy,hewasntcruel toanimals,andIdont thinkhehad askin-lampcollection.Itwas myjunioryearatthe StateUniversityoNew Yorkat Albany.Whenwethrewpartiesorwent out,sometimesPhiltagged along.Hewas present,

buthe hadno presence.He grinnedgooflyintoo-tightpolo shirts.Helaughedatjokesbutdidnttellany.Ihehada voice,Idontrememberwhatit soundedlike.Hewas tall.

Ican onlygiveeveryex postactostereotypethat everyacquaintanceo akillergives: Heseemednormaland Hewasshy,butnice. Themindallson clichtoexplainwhat itdoesntwantto understand.Becausei aman sopainullynormalasPhilipMarkocoulddothis, thenanyonecan.So waituntilthenextmonsterappears.Andthen thenextneighboror riendorcoworkercansay,I justcantunderstandwhyhe woulddoit.

phi kappa dieFor oneMaxiMeditor, the craigslist killer was just a dude down the hall. By jesse BrukMan

Cicki a ik, Dais aiatd t baki s ut Bst:massus had b sht th tims th 20th a Maittt. Th as a bu scuitcama ima th ma th pssd aad dubbd th Caisist Ki, ad b that a pictu th

tim, a sutki ma ith iht b hai. It as Juissasma, a st, u, sttsmat 26ad ith put ips ad aius Pais Hit xati h had ct quit Dais mp t

dpdt. Sh as th Mahatta Madams ait is.I as shckd, dastatd, hatbk, but I ast supisd, sasis. I td h t b cau. Caisist is u cps.

wAS A SIMPle IDeA THAT CHAngeD everyTHIng: A no-rIllSppi a makt updatd th Itt a, a pac t t buast, t a apatmt, sc sm mth ad hk up ith

dm stas th at. It hpd t a dst th sp idust i Amica, ad it tasmd th sx tad. It baas a h paiu sh bd Cai nmak statd a

mai ist pubicizi tchthmd ts ad jb pptuitis i Sacisc. S Caisist as h, a si ba cm

uit i bus ad ss, a pt busiss that patd ik a pubic sic. Tda Caisist is a idispsab sucts miis pp did: with 40 mii psts a mth

d sits i 570 citis ad 50 cutis, it is th ics wb 2.0,cizab a bad as acbk g. yt it mps 30p, ad th h pati is u ut a amshack victiaus i th Sust Distict Sa acisc.o th mdias siatu succss stis, Caisist smbs th pssibiitis th ba i d sti i th ps ui ut. Th Itt mids us that pp a basica

stth, nmak has said. But ths a t i m i t hatasica. lik a i cmmuit xpimts th past 20asm MSpac t Scd lith sit has a utpia sid thats it p t a cp ith a dak atas i. whats tii abut

th Caisist Ki is hat h psts: h th Itt ca makcim pushbutt as, ad uck pschsis as asi as ibid.

which is h th buta mud Juissa Bisma cappd a pctstm ati pubicit th mbattd wb sit. Bad uh that

th ki usd th etic Sics scti t u Bisma t th cimsc, but this ast his st tim. u das ai h ad tidup ad bbd ath massus hd ctactd thuh Caisist,Tisha l. Ad t das at th Bisma sai, h adstuck aai, this tim i waick, rhd Isad, hdi at upit astipp h adtisd ap dacs Caisist. Th assaiat d at th stipps husbad bust it th ht m.

Bst cps quick astd Phiip Mak, a ta, bd, ad utad spctab 23ad md studt at Bst Uisit ht bds p a sia sick (s b). H as chad ithBismas mud i additi t th assauts th t th m.Istiats sachi Maks apatmt ud a u hidd ia hdut bk, a stash had staits, as as 16 pais ms patis ud th bd. (Its t t k h ma timsMak ma ha stuck, but as Kisti Dais pits ut, ma Caisistsxatd cims a ptd ut a ad mbaassmt.)

Th Caisist Ki ts a distubi patt: Th mth b, nyk adi pt g wb as stabbd 50 tims, ad b atubd ta h mt thuh a Caisist psti i $60 uh sx. I Api chubbacd ta mist Micha Ads asstcd t i i pis th shti dath 24ad Kathi os, a Mista pachs dauht h had ict pi dt a ak ad Ads pacd th sit ki a babsitt.

Th bad s Caisist mut d. As i Api authitis astd 24ad Sha Skt i Kt, washit at h adpstd a Caisist ad titd A sta dsi, ki a ma tha sx ith ad th ki. Ad i a Ma cictd sx d

Jh St Buss padd uit i ls As t iuta masauht i th dath 19ad Da Ju. Buss said h pidJu ith ach, ccai, ad hi at mti h Caisist,th dumpd h bd i th ca h sh dsd.

Addi t th pssu th cmpa, i a Ma Suth Caiaatt a H McMast thatd th pscuti Caisist Ceo Jim Buckmast aciitati pstituti. This as th sttim a a cmt fcia had tid t hd Buckmast psa

spsib th cimia actiit assciatd ith th wb sit. Caisist as bi attackd m dicti.

Th ha aas b cimias ii t xpit th atst adacsi tch, but th cims ikd t Caisist at ha bcmicasi qut ad biza. m muds, apists, ad chidmsts t imam m ad backmaii mm atas, th sitstas a cast chaacts staiht ut a Jams e .

Tusti stas is th basis Caisist. Its bi cmmuitaia xpimt, a admiab, xcpt thi: Th abiit tcct ast umbs stas t ath is a d ida ith pp bi cctd a dct huma bis.

ITS THe AnonyMITy THAT ATTrACTS CrIMInAlS To CrAIgS-ist, sas Tch rds, h us a b cad CaisCimlist. Hhas cutd at ast iht kiis cctd t th sit. wh ppask m abut th Caisist Ki, I aas sa, which ?

Th pstituti assciatd ith etic Sics has da mst th attti at, but its just th tip th icb. I th past tas th st th sit has bcm a itua paud cs, pttthis, c m, ad th ccasia bak bb. last autum iM, washit, sm pacd a ad a dz abs t diads. Th m tud up k dssd, as th ad had istuctd, iidtica utts: bu k shits, sts, spiat masks. Mahi, just acss th stt, ath ma dss d th sam ad caia pump spa akd tad a amd ca utsid a Bak Am

ica, spad th amd uad i th ac ith a chmica, t h abbd aba m, a d th stt past th statd abs, ad jumpdit th ab Skkmish ri. Pic sa th ma h pstd th adas usi th abs as dcs i cas h as chasd. etua, 28ad Ath Cuci as astd th bb.

whi sm th cs ad caps Caisist pssss a cmicaspct, its t s u h u th ictims. Susa (t ha am) is ths dthiuck ptt u this icssihit Miami Bach h scus Caisist da ki ac is: spksmd, ts cdiat, stauat hstss,athi that pas m tha $10 a hu. S sh as m tha xcitdt t a jb adtisd Caisist as a $1,200ak psa assistatt a ma h caimd t k as a pduc Pha ad li wa.H cad hims lz ad said h had a sid busissa pizza chaithat had b up. H dd Susa t hp him s th stauat quipmt Ba ad Caisist, ad t h t p up a PaPa accut i h am. Sh cid ts thusads das i

s th aius s, pp tabs, ad iats. Th sh ta ca m smbd h k lz sai th as stauatquipmt. Thak gd PaPa ad it, bcaus th mt it m bak accut I ud b bhid bas iht , sasSusa. o at lz as astd did sh disc that sh astth ictim. H as scammi ts pp Caisist, sithi m puppis t PiP tabs t ca pats t sxua as.I ik such a . M i is a mss bcaus this u.

I sps t th mdia stm u Caisist, Ceo Buckmastddd his cmpa, caimi th pcta cimias h patd his wb sit as ti cmpad t th hmi majit tustth uss. Ad thats tu as a as it s. what Caisist isis th utsiz impact a sma umb cimias: o c mapsti Caisist ca scam scs pp ith a si ad.

Tak Sa Chuch, itatia dit, tim DeA imat, m jaibid, csummat c ma. last summ Chuch as sittiat a utd ca i Budapst, Hua, uds, h h hit upth ida cccti a Paisia bdadbakast scam Caisistt c ususpcti tuists. Hd s simia cs th sit b ad ud th as itt chac hd t cauht.

Thats hat maks Caisist s at, sas Chuch. Ths pici. Its ik th wid wst.

Chuch (t his a am) t back t his apatmt ad t acau dd psti: Amazi bd ad bakast i th hat Pais. Just th ms ith uiqu achitctua dtais ik a atuast a ad a quait rm ad Juit bac that ks thush cutad. Th pic is 50 eu p iht ( ps) 60 eup iht (t pss). Th addss h a as a dscipt apatmt buidi h hd c stad. Th h dadd a pictu a czki iti m a maazi, cickd a butt, ad, pst:withi miuts th ad as up ad ui.

Immdiat Chuch as iudatd ith quis. Pp atit bk a m istuctd t sd a 50eu udab d psit t Chuchs PaPa accut. o cipt th m, Chuch maida ak iic. M tha 300 pp th scam, ad h thcudt d th B&B at th addss ad maid Chuch, what happd? h had xcus i th bk ad: Mab u pssd th buzz Mab u t t th .

Mst pp just it it , sas Chuch. I ast taki bi >

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3/3102 MAXIM AUGUST 2009

amuts m. A t tims its 50 eus, but iu d that ith 300 pp, thats sius m.

Th scam as s ucati that Chuch patd it ithph apatmts i Madid, ld, ad washit,D.C. I a, h stimats h mad $33,000 ithut ai Budapst.

B th d th summ, Caisist uss had cauht . I atAuust t i th discussi um th wb sit, I just t backm Pais, h I had td a m i a bd ad bakast thuhCaisist. wh I t t th addss, th pac as actua d b ach cup. oth ictims s spdd i kid.

Chuch as i th hat. It as tim t skip t, s h bkd aiht t Tt. But h dd a pac t buk c h aid i Caada, s h th s? Caisist t d a apatmt. Hspttd hat kd ik a d da: a bdm ith a bi d ia ic pat t $766 a mth. Chuch maid th adcid a p m sm caimi t b a Aica miist hdd t t ut his apatmt bcaus h had ut missia

k t attd t i wst Aica. Chuch t ut a auh. It as th dAicamissiaapatmt sid, th mst ppua cs th sit. Sm as ti t scam th scamm.

o Caisist.

lAST yeAr THe CooK CoUnTy SHerIS DePArTMenT In CHICAgoauchd a sti pati t tst Caisists much autd autmatdspici sstm. Much autd, that is, b Buckmast. Cmmuit mdati as xmpid b u ai sstm is auab thmst succssu sstm ccid imiati iapppiatactiit m a massi Itt cmmuit, h t this past Ma his b. Th Chica istiats pstd t ads. o ad 14 a d

ki sx; th th as 15 a d ki ma cmpaiship. nith th ads as ad.

w pud th ads d at statd tti hits m sx ds, sas Shi Tm Dat, h has spt t as padi ithBuckmast t d smthi abut th sit.

Buckmast isistd that th cmpa ks had i ith acmt t tack d cimias misusi th sit ad that thetic Sics scti mai csistd pstis a massuss,ap dacs, ad scts. (At ai t b itid b Maxim,Buckmast pud ut, caimi h didt ha tim.)

Jim Buckmast is ut his mid, said Shi Dat i a Ma.o a th patis ha cductd, c did tIm a pssia massus. nt c.

Dat, a m Dadhad, is tsm ihti aaddtp ki t hip up a mapaic. I act,Timemaazi aadd Shi Dat a spt i its oHudd Mst Iutia Pp

issu. S Dat dss t b tak sius h h sas Caisist hasbcm Amicas bist suc pstituti.

Pstituti is a daus d, h ctius. wm ha bbat up, assautd, mudd as. But i u ki t hama ma, hat btt a tha Caisist?

Th cbibtaias at th ectic dm udati spat Caisists ds: n susts that H d Axad gaham B is ma cupab dpi tchis thatcud s ca aid cimias, sas e si sta att Matt Zimmma. Cas ad phs at ia, thuh pp biusus thm t aciitat cims, s h shud diita cmmuicatis tchis b cimiaizd?

Kisti Dais, , as aa th isks adtisi Caisist. B sh as bustd ast a chas m audi ad pmti pstituti, Dais mad ts m usi th sit:A th tafc kpt th catis ith 12 is bus 18 hus a da. Daisst up a sas ca ct t had th um pis sh cid.yu t suppsd t b ab t spam Caisist, but Dais paid apamm $10,000 t dsi sta that cud bpass th cmpasspam ts ad pst up t 600 ads a da.Sti, Dais id cstatabut th sat h is. Thats h sh ad Bisma that ucud t h as a th th d th ph.

This past nmb Caisist td it a amt ith mtha 40 stat atts a a ith th natia Ct Missi ad expitd Chid t istiat masus that ud hpstamp ut a ia actiit th sit. Jim Buckmast caimd that

th masus d t a immdiat 80 pct ducti i pstisi th etic Sics scti. But accdi t sm, pstituti thsit s budd t bcm as i as .

Buckmast maks it sud ik th shud b i sm st bad bcaus th s hpu t a cmt, sas Dat. Thd th miimum quid b a.

ustatd ith his ack pss, this Mach Dat d a daasuit aaist th cmpa, caimi it ki aciitats pstituti. Buckmast caimd t b mstid. nmak isistd th eticSics scti ud mai p busiss.

I th d Caisist cad. o Ma 13, Iiis att a lisaMadia aucd that Caisist had ad t shut d etic Sics ad pac it ith a Adut Sics scti mitd b th

Caisist sta. o ths i a sicsapdacs ad th ikud b ad t pst.wud Caisists sat masus ha ptd

Juissa Bismas mud? Mab. But th wb sit stidst qui pp h p t psts t ist.S i Bisma had maad t ad th mits itha dcpti dd pst, Phiip Mak ud hasti b ab t cmmit th cim. I act, i Jujustks at Caisist csd etic Sicsa 25ad m nth Caia ad usd th sit t ista ma t ap his i. Accdi t authitis, thhusbad as i th m dui th ap, ad th cupst chid asp i th hus.

S th qusti mais: wi Adut Sics b etic

Sics dux, thi m tha a am cha?w i t kp a cs thm t dut, sas Shi Dat.

Con men like Sean Church (top left) use Craigslist toscam users. Sheri Tom Dart (left) has attacked CraigNewmark (above, left) and CEO Jim Buckmaster.