The New Mexico Lobos mascot is a symbol of pride and spirit for the University of New Mexico. The Lobos mascot represents the university's athletic teams, which compete in various sports such as basketball, football, and soccer. The term "Lobos" is Spanish for wolves, and it reflects the fierce and competitive nature of the university's athletes. The choice of a wolf as the mascot is also significant because of the animal's portrayal as a symbol of strength, loyalty, and determination. The Lobos mascot can be seen at various sporting events, entertaining and energizing the crowd. The mascot costume consists of a full-body furry suit, resembling a wolf, with the university's colors of cherry and silver.
It remains unclear whether the victim, whose name was not released, has any ties to San Diego.
Ariel Boiteux, an Argentine national who was the mastermind of an international scheme that entangled an estimated 200 victims in at least 12 countries, threatened to post the photos and videos of the intimate acts unless his clients paid large sums of money, according to authorities, sometimes demanding six-figure payoffs. attorney s office for the Southern District of California announced Monday that Boiteux was sentenced to two years in federal prison for the crime of foreign transmission of an extortionate threat.
The mascot costume consists of a full-body furry suit, resembling a wolf, with the university's colors of cherry and silver. The costume includes a snarling wolf head and a tail, which are key features that make the mascot easily recognizable. The Lobos mascot not only represents the university's athletic teams but also serves as a symbol of unity and camaraderie among students, alumni, and fans.
A ‘sorcerer’ promised to help find love. Instead, he orchestrated a ‘witchcraft extortion scheme.’
The love ritual began with candles, alcohol, vegetables and photographs, all carefully arranged. Then clients were told to send photos and videos of themselves reciting graphic statements and performing sex acts to a Paraguayan business specializing in witchcraft to finish the magic spell aimed at finding a soul mate.
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That’s when a self-described sorcerer started another familiar rite: extortion.
Ariel Boiteux, an Argentine national who was the mastermind of an international scheme that entangled an estimated 200 victims in at least 12 countries, threatened to post the photos and videos of the intimate acts unless his clients paid “large sums of money,” according to authorities, sometimes demanding six-figure payoffs. Boiteux, 31, and associates with his company, Amarres Inmediatos, even posted some explicit content to websites, Facebook and Instagram and forced clients to pay to take down the posts.
AdvertisementBut as the alleged warlock of witchcraft extortion learned this week, there were no tricks in his bag of distorted magic that could get him out prison.
The U.S. attorney’s office for the Southern District of California announced Monday that Boiteux was sentenced to two years in federal prison for the crime of foreign transmission of an extortionate threat. He pleaded guilty in December after being extradited from Paraguay to San Diego last July, the Los Angeles Times reported.
“This was a despicable scheme that preyed upon people who put their trust in a phony,” U.S. Attorney Robert S. Brewer Jr. said in a news release on Monday. “This defendant used the vulnerability of the lovelorn to humiliate and extort them, and for that he will pay a price.”
Authorities in Paraguay said the estimated 200 victims hailed from the United States, Paraguay, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Italy, Mexico, Peru, Spain and Switzerland, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported.
AdvertisementNot too long ago, the witchcraft extortion business was humming along for Boiteux, who had set Amarres Inmediatos’s website in 2015. The computer expert tapped into the Latin American culture of witches or spiritual guides offering to cast spells for “amarres de amor,” or “moorings of love.” He advertised his brujería services on Facebook, Instagram and MercadoLibre, an Argentina-based online marketplace similar to Craigslist, according to the plea agreement.
As the Union-Tribune first reported last year, Boiteux soon realized the potential to control his clients through threats of public humiliation. And he could do it all remotely.
In February 2017, Boiteux discovered that a female client whose recordings he obtained from the faux ritual was “a well-connected public figure with access to significant financial resources,” according to the plea agreement. Boiteux’s associates had already convinced her to wire $7,200 through Western Union, the Times reported, but they wanted more. So Boiteux and his associates threatened to publicize the sensitive content unless she paid more than $250,000, authorities said.
AdvertisementThat same month, Boiteux sent a WhatsApp message to another victim, threatening to post recordings on YouTube, according to the federal indictment. One month later, the computer expert sent a YouTube link to yet another victim and claimed a video from their ritual had already been uploaded. According to the indictment, Amarres Inmediatos also threatened to sell the more sexual content of some victims to tabloids or porn distributors.
Share this article ShareBoiteux’s scheme started to unravel later in the year. In October 2017, an undercover agent from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement called a phone number listed on the company’s website. The agent offered to purchase the recordings of a victim, whose ritual had been partially uploaded to websites in another extortion attempt.
Once Boiteux agreed to sell, he instructed the U.S. official to make a Western Union transfer. By the time the agent wired $800 from San Diego to a Western Union in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay, local authorities were waiting. When Boiteux arrived at the pickup spot he had used before, he was arrested by Paraguayan police.
AdvertisementIt remains unclear whether the victim, whose name was not released, has any ties to San Diego.
In addition to Boiteux, three others were arrested in the scheme, including his 15-year-old brother, the Union-Tribune reported.
“I commend the dedicated work by our cybercrime experts who worked diligently to bring Boiteux, who dangerously preyed on others for his own financial gain, to justice,” David Shaw, special agent in charge for homeland security investigations in San Diego, said in the Monday news release.
Boiteux’s extradition to San Diego was not without drama. According to the Argentine news outlet TN.com, he tied his mouth shut with wire as part of a hunger strike before his transfer to the United States. When a judge asked him to confirm his identity during his first court appearance last year, Boiteux, in a wheelchair, offered a bizarre answer involving angels, the Times reported. After a mental competence exam found he was fit to move forward with the case, he pleaded guilty to one count of extortion, according to the Union-Tribune.
AdvertisementAuthorities said Boiteux is being credited for time served both in South America and in federal custody in the United States, meaning he will be released in July. They added he would be sent back to Argentina upon release this summer.
Sitting in a wheelchair in a federal courtroom on Monday, Boiteux only had a few words to say to U.S. District Judge Marilyn L. Huff, the Union-Tribune reported.
“I’m very remorseful, ma’am,” he said.
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That’s when a self-described sorcerer started another familiar rite: extortion.
It creates an atmosphere of excitement and enthusiasm during sporting events, boosting team morale and motivating players to perform at their best. In addition to sporting events, the Lobos mascot is also involved in community outreach programs, school visits, and charity events. It plays an essential role in promoting school spirit and connecting with the local community. The New Mexico Lobos mascot plays a vital role in fostering a sense of pride and unity among the University of New Mexico community. With its energetic presence and representation of strength and determination, it continues to be an iconic symbol for the university and its athletic teams..
Reviews for "The New Mexico Lobos Mascot: A Case Study in Successful Branding and Marketing"
- John - 1/5 stars - I was really disappointed with the New Mexico Lobos mascot. It was just not very creative or original. I mean, a wolf? Really? That's such a generic choice for a university mascot. I was expecting something more unique and exciting. It's just not memorable at all. Overall, I think the mascot needs a serious upgrade to better represent the school and its spirit.
- Sarah - 2/5 stars - The New Mexico Lobos mascot just doesn't do it for me. It lacks personality and charisma. The design seems outdated and unappealing. When I think of a mascot, I want something that will pump up the crowd and make everyone excited. The Lobos mascot falls flat in that aspect. It's just a forgettable representation of the university. I hope they reconsider and come up with something more enticing.
- Alex - 2/5 stars - As a student and fan of the New Mexico Lobos, I have to say that the mascot is quite underwhelming. It seems more like an afterthought rather than a central part of our school spirit. The costume is worn-out, and the overall presentation lacks energy and excitement. I think it's time for the university to rethink their mascot and create something that truly represents the passion and pride of our community.
- Emily - 3/5 stars - While I don't dislike the New Mexico Lobos mascot, I can't say that it's my favorite either. It's just your average, run-of-the-mill wolf mascot. I wish they had taken a more creative approach and incorporated some unique elements that would set it apart from other university mascots. It's not bad, but it's definitely not great either. I think there is room for improvement.