Two prominent Leaside residents and businesspeople, Patrick Rocca of Bosley Real Estate & Andy Elder, owner of Grilltime on Laird, have recently been the target of an internet extortion attack. Both men have received numerous threatening emails from an unknown source, identified only as Anonymous. The emails demand a payment of $250,000 in the form of bitcoins. (Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency used primarily as a digital payment system.) The scammers suggest that if their demands are not met, they will use a number of means to damage the reputations of both men and their families. Both men, although greatly concerned about the attack, were even more deeply troubled when the reputation of their family was also threatened. Neither has complied with the demands of the extortionist. Rocca and Elder are both widely known within Leaside and beyond to be generous community supporters. They are encouraging any others who may be victims of the same scheme to come forward and contact police at 53 Division.
