Originally Posted by Larry King Live

Aired April 4, 2006 - 21:00 ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JUSTIN BERRY: They wanted me to take off my pants, remove my underwear, and eventually ********** on camera.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LARRY KING, CNN HOST: Tonight, a prime-time exclusive, Justin Berry, he was a 13-year-old honor student who ran a pornographic Web site from his own bedroom. On Capitol Hill today he gave dramatic testimony about teenage years of molestation, drugs, and on camera sex, some of it arranged by his own father. He's here tonight to tell us some more about a shocking story.

And then later music superstar Yanni in his first interview on the domestic violence accusations by his former girlfriend that led to his arrest last month.

It's all next on LARRY KING LIVE.

An extraordinary story took place today on Capitol Hill. The House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on sexual exploitation of children heard from Justin Berry, who at age 13 was lured into the dangerous world of online ****. He was joined by Kurt Eichenwald of "The New York Times," who first told Justin's story last December. Both gentlemen join us from Washington.

Why did you come forward Justin?

BERRY: You know, Larry, that's a good question. There was a lot of kids in danger and there was a lot of adult perpetrators and predators that were able to harm these children in ways that I can't even explain here on TV and it had to be stopped, Larry.

KING: What attracted you to it? What was the first instance that brought you to this world at age 13?

BERRY: You know it's an interesting process these pedophiles and these predators. They'll take a child who is a normal kid who goes to school, has their friends, and they will manipulate their minds in ways that you can't even imagine.

For myself, the last few years has been -- has been deeply traumatic. It's been a life that I could never have imagined that I would have lived and I'm just thankful to be out of it. KING: How were you tapped into initially?

BERRY: Initially, I set up my webcam on my computer and after that there was instant message requests people wanting to speak with me on the Internet. After that, there was an individual who contacted me and asked me to take off my shirt for $50 and I agreed.

KING: How does he, the person doing this, get the money to you?

BERRY: There's an online payment system called PayPal which I used at the time. There's a variety of different online systems. That's just the one of my choice that I picked and it's sent instantly online on the Internet.

KING: And it goes into your account?

BERRY: That is correct.

KING: Why did you get a webcam?

BERRY: You know, Logitech is the main webcam company out there. At the time, EarthLink had a promotion in which they were giving out free Logitech webcams and I was the receiver of one.

KING: And your interest in it was to do what?

BERRY: My interest in this was to meet other kids online, improve my social life. A lot of today's teenagers they spend hours online talking, chatting with friends on the social networking sites, on instant messaging and I was just like the rest of them, just a teenage kid.

KING: And what did the sexual thing begin to increase from just taking off clothes to other things?

BERRY: What happened here by taking off my shirt that $50 what that did is that told the pedophiles that signaled to them that I was able to be manipulated. I was a lonely kid who was hurt and I was lost and they took note of that.

KING: How far did it get?

BERRY: How far did...

KING: Did they have you -- what kind of things -- they had you do masturbation?

BERRY: I was later masturbating. I was having sex with female prostitutes on camera. I did things that I'm pretty ashamed of, not proud of.

KING: Female prostitutes would come to your house?

BERRY: That is correct.

KING: Where was your mother or father? BERRY: At the time when that occurred I was living in Mexico. I had relocated and was living down in Mazatlan, Mexico with my father and he assisted in that.

KING: You said today that you enjoyed a lot of this.

BERRY: Enjoyed a lot of?

KING: What was going on, you enjoyed the money.

BERRY: You know to tell you the truth, Larry, now that I look back on this the money it's one thing. Money is money but the amount of pain that this has caused there's money can't replace that.

KING: When you say a lot did you make a real lot of money?

BERRY: To tell you the truth I'm not able to answer that unfortunately.

KING: Why?

BERRY: Due to my lawyer's request.

KING: OK. Kurt, how did you hook into this story?

KURT EICHENWALD, "THE NEW YORK TIMES": It was basically a fluke. There had been a posting online of what purported to be an Interpol investigation of a number of Web sites. Among them was one of Justin's Web sites called Mexico Friends.

As I was researching what these sites were I saw postings about Mexico Friends that made it clear it was a **** site involving someone named Justin. I later went to a site called Archive.org which allows you to see old captured images of Web sites to look and see what these things were because this was supposedly some international fraud and I didn't quite understand what the point of it was.

And, when I called up the Mexico Friends site up popped an image that really could have come out of a seventh grade yearbook. It was a picture of Justin at the age of 14 but he actually looked more like he was about 12 and there was this disconnect, you know.

I know that this person Justin is supposed to be a **** star but I'm looking at a boy and from that point on, you know, at first I can't say that I looked at that as a reporter. I looked at that as a citizen at first. I thought I have to -- I have to find out if this is real. I have to find out if this kid exists. And, if I do, if he does, I have to call the police.

Eventually, I realized, I contacted Justin. I realized that he was 18. He was in the middle of a vast criminal conspiracy and that was when I put my reporter's hat back on.

KING: And got an extraordinary story that appeared last December. Justin, you also became a predator yourself did you not?

BERRY: Excuse me?

KING: Did you seduce other people into your web?

EICHENWALD: No.

BERRY: No, sir, no. There was other pedophiles that were -- that were among me at the time. These people came into my everyday life. They were there with me and the things that were done by those people I'm not going to talk about here but it wasn't pretty.

KING: Is there a whole world of this Justin?

BERRY: A whole world, this is a large community on the Internet. It's enormous. It's frightening to see how large it is.

KING: So would you say that thousands of people are involved in this right now tonight?

BERRY: Tonight, truthfully I don't know the exact number. However, it's like I said this is an increasingly large business growing day by day and it needs to be stopped. That's why we're here. I'm so excited for the congressional hearings this morning and I'm amazed on the response and I just appreciate everything everyone is doing.

KING: Kurt, what do you want Congress to enact?

EICHENWALD: That's not my job. I don't know. The one thing that I do know is that when you're looking at a law enforcement problem and that's what this is, this is a law enforcement problem. This isn't -- just because the Internet is involved doesn't make it some other more complex issue.

And when you have a law enforcement problem the way you solve it is usually with prosecutions. That seems to be a very hard thing to accomplish. There aren't a lot of prosecutions coming out of the evidence that Justin provided.

KING: Justin, didn't a lot of men want to meet you, not just do this by webcam?

BERRY: You know there were several requests to meet me in person. These people are relentless. These people are -- they're your next door neighbors and you never guess that they could be talking to children like this online.

KING: Did you meet some?

BERRY: Yes, sir I did.

KING: Where was your mother?

BERRY: Where was my mother when I met them?

KING: At the house, you had prostitutes coming over. You're doing all this stuff. You're in your room. Where's your mother? BERRY: I don't know if you quite understand. When I had sex with the female prostitutes I was in Mexico at that time.

KING: Oh, your father was there right?

BERRY: Correct.

KING: Where was he?

BERRY: He was helping, assisting in securing the prostitutes.

KING: And back home, I know your mother tried to do her best about this didn't she?

BERRY: Regarding?

KING: Trying to get you help?

BERRY: No, she didn't know about this at all.

KING: Never knew about it?

BERRY: Not until I told her.

KING: What did she do then?

BERRY: I'm currently seeing a psychologist and getting help.

EICHENWALD: Larry.

KING: Yes.

EICHENWALD: There was a point I think -- I think what you're referring to there was a point while she didn't know specifically what was happening with Justin, she did realize that something very bad was happening with her son that he was changing.

Now, at the time he's going from being, you know, a child to a teenager but when he was 14 he had already been molested once. At that point, he was exhibiting a lot of changed behaviors and she took him to see a mental health professional at the time and, you know, tried to get -- tried to figure out what was wrong but Justin never told anyone at that point that he was being molested.

KING: So she did her best?

EICHENWALD: She certainly did her best. You know this is not a circumstance -- I think a lot of people want this to be that there's a bad mother or there's a bad father. Well there clearly is a bad father. But, you know, you have a circumstance where if we say well there's the problem. It's the parents. Let's move on. We don't have to worry about this.

You know I have looked at many, many kids who have dealt with this. I've talked to many kids who have done this and they are from an array of families. They're from broken homes and intact families. They're from rich and poor. They're doing well in school. They're doing badly in school. There is no easy answer here. What we're dealing with is children being seduced.

KING: There's no tin type. We'll take a break, come back, include some of your phone calls. Justin Berry and Kurt Eichenwald of "The New York Times" is with us.

You're watching LARRY KING LIVE. Don't go away.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BERRY: I had opened a site called Justinscam.com where child predators could come and watch and offer me money and gifts to do what they wanted. After my first molestation, I began to act out sexually. I was reckless. Part of me wanted to die and every day on camera part of me did.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: Justin Berry, why was your father involved?

BERRY: When I went to Mexico my father asked me how I had so much money and his -- when I told him about the business his response to that was he would help me maximize the earning potential, so he assisted me in the Web site development and the business.

KING: How do you regard that?

BERRY: How do I -- I'm sorry I don't understand.

KING: How did you take that?

BERRY: At the time, I was excited for the help. I was a messed up kid. Now it's upsetting. It's really upsetting.

KING: Where is your dad now?

BERRY: Currently from what I understand he's not in the United States. I'm not sure of his current location. I haven't spoken with him.

KING: What do you think? Kurt Eichenwald says that's not his business. He's a reporter. What do you think should be done Justin?

BERRY: In regards...

KING: About all this legally?

BERRY: You know truthfully I'm not a lawyer nor do I wish to be but this is a big issue and there's a lot of children at risk. There's some really bad perpetrators and a lot of bad predators out there that are hunting for your children and unless something is done to stop this it's going to get worse.

KING: When you came out, so to speak, and got rid of this were you in danger? Were any people after you?

BERRY: Yes. Whenever I began speaking to Kurt and speaking to the Department of Justice there was an individual and a group of individuals that didn't like me very much as you may understand.

KING: Kurt, how widespread do you think it is?

EICHENWALD: It's huge. I mean, Larry, if he just -- we're talking now about a subset of a $20 billion industry. Child pornography generates $20 billion a year. You then have that amount of money can be used to pretty much cause anything to happen.

We have children who have cameras in their rooms. We have children who have digital cameras that can load an image instantly. We have people with cash who can pay it instantly. We have instant communication systems that allow for one individual to speak to another.

Children are being contacted by predators. They're being offered gifts. They're being offered money and these images are exploding all over the Internet.

KING: Justin, what kind of customers did you have? Can you describe the kind of people who were your customers by occupation?

BERRY: When I first began speaking with these different individuals I thought they were my friends. Later I learned when we went ahead and looked through the customer database of the different customers that I had these people are doctors. They're lawyers. They're businessmen. They're people who you would never expect to sign up for child pornography. They're people who are around your children.

KING: So, someone I passed on the street coming into CNN tonight, a businessman, insurance agent, could be doing pornography this morning or tonight?

BERRY: I sure hope not.

EICHENWALD: You know, Larry...

KING: But he could be? Yes, Kurt.

EICHENWALD: The most difficult thing for me in this story was when I took 300 of the names of Justin's customers and figured out who they were, not just their names but tracked them down to professions and locations and the rest. And, you know, I'm a father with kids and I realized that these were just like my neighbors that there's absolutely no way I would ever know who they were.

I also had the ability to match some of the customers to transcripts of online conversations they had with Justin and I would see teachers talking to this boy in the most degrading ways you could imagine. I was deeply traumatized to realize what was going on and very frightened for my children. KING: Boy! Let me get a break and come back with Justin Berry and Kurt Eichenwald of "The New York Times." We'll include a couple of phone calls.

And Yanni will join us. Don't go away.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BERRY: I abused marijuana terribly and consumed so much cocaine that I'm amazed I survived. My life was a swirl of drugs, money and sex. When a paying member of my site, Greg Mitchell, offered to come to Mexico and bring me gifts I accepted. He too sexually molested me but I no longer cared. I just wanted his money.

I had become exactly what my members viewed me to be, what their degrading conversations convinced me I was, a piece of meat for sale to the highest bidder.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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BERRY: The FBI case agents I spoke with were very professional and of the highest integrity. I cannot say enough good things about them but the child exploitation and obscenity section did not make me confident.

Weeks passed seemingly without progress. I cannot describe the agony of that time. Each night I wondered were the children I knew being molested that night? Were they being filmed?

Why was no one stopping this? I understood it would take time to decide whether I should have immunity or not but why couldn't they rescue the children in danger?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Justin, before we take a few calls, how are you now psychologically? How's life for you?

BERRY: Well right now I'm seeing a psychiatrist and life has improved so much over the past few months. It's been a rough few months and it's finally coming to an end here hopefully and life is improving. I'm going to school and I have a wonderful girlfriend.

KING: Has this been cleansing for you?

BERRY: Cleansing?

KING: To come forward?

BERRY: You know it's been very difficult. It really has. Over the past few months I've shed a lot of tears. It's been pretty rough. I've had some pretty bad days. And, you know, fighting this and trying to do anything I can to stop this child pornography that's why I'm here.

KING: Let's take a call, Minneapolis, hello.

CALLER FROM MINNEAPOLIS: Yes, Larry, I'm a clinical psychologist who's been in practice 20 years and I have evaluated over 2,000 children that have been sexually abused and in every case with no exception the child who was taken advantage of through pornography or abuse had a parent who was sexually abused and has not dealt with it. You asked Justin why his father got involved. I'm wondering, Justin, was your father or your mother a sexual abuse victim to your knowledge?

BERRY: Yes, that's a very good question. I know my mom isn't. My father I don't believe so.

KING: But you don't actually know?

BERRY: No, I do not.

KING: The Villages, Florida, hello.

CALLER FROM THE VILLAGES, FLORIDA: Hello, Justin. I must say you're a very brave young man. I saw you testify. I wanted to know you said you're going to college right now. You're in your first year. What is it you're aiming for with this education?

BERRY: Right now I'm going to school and making new friends. As you know, I have been living this lifestyle for quite some number of years now and I had to disconnect from everyone I knew and my old lifestyle. I had to start over with my friends. So, right now I'm making some new friends, going to school, and trying to relax a little bit.

KING: What's your major?

BERRY: I am studying interactive media, computer Web site development.

KING: You're kidding?

BERRY: No.

KING: That's kind of funny in a sense, computer Web site development.

BERRY: That is correct. You know computers are a great resource and a great tool. You just have to know how to use them properly and make sure you know who's on the other side of the screen.

KING: Is your girlfriend OK with all this?

BERRY: You know that's a good question. She's been very supportive and she's been great.

KING: St. Bernard, Louisiana, hello.

CALLER FROM ST. BERNARD, LOUISIANA: Hi, Larry, thanks for taking my call.

KING: Sure.

CALLER: Let me just start out by saying I think pedophilia and child pornography is the worst crime ever. But my question to Justin is why can't he say how much money he's made and, you know, let the IRS -- that could be one way of stopping this. If the people that's making the money get penalized for this, it will stop. It will put a halt to some of it. But, you know, why did he just come out just now? Why did he wait until he was 18 or 19 to come out?

KING: Justin.

EICHENWALD: I think that's something I'm going to have to answer.

KING: All right, Kurt.

EICHENWALD: It's a very simple reason why he can't answer it because his lawyer is sitting here and says don't answer that. Justin has federal immunity but you never know what knucklehead might be out there and say "Well look what he said on Larry King. Let's go after him."

I can tell you that in my story I reported that Justin had made hundreds of thousands of dollars over those five years. Children who are willing to appear on camera are very valuable commodities and he was paid for that.

He blew the money like a child can. The money is all gone and a lot of it went up his nose. A lot of it was just thrown away on garbage. But the reason he can't answer that question is because he's been ordered not to.

KING: Justin, are you totally free of drugs?

BERRY: Yes, thank God.

KING: Was that hard to get through?

BERRY: You know, to tell you the truth that was one of -- one of the more difficult things. Withdrawal from marijuana I don't know if anyone watching this show has ever tried to quit cold turkey cocaine and marijuana. It's some rough stuff.

KING: Port Richey, Florida, hello.

CALLER FROM PORT RICHEY, FLORIDA: Yes, hi, good evening Larry. I just want to say Justin I think you're very brave for what you're doing and, along with Kurt, you did a great job.

My question to Justin is would you like to see your father, if the authorities are probably looking for him, prosecuted and arrested?

BERRY: You know really that's a very, very touchy subject for me and a difficult question to answer. If someone has committed a crime, they should be prosecuted.

KING: Justin, I thank you very much for coming here tonight on short notice. I think you've done a valuable service and we really appreciate it.

BERRY: Thank you.

KING: And, Kurt thanks for some great reporting.

EICHENWALD: Thank you, Larry.

KING: Kurt Eichenwald of "The New York Times" and Justin Berry.

And when we come back on LARRY KING LIVE, the worldwide famous entertainer who's had some problems that maybe we can clear up tonight, Yanni will join us right after these words. Don't go away.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BERRY: Today, I have been off drugs for nine months and just finished my first quarter at college. My grades are good and I have friends. Had I not met Kurt Eichenwald I would never have this chance at a new life. I will never be able to repay what he has done for me. In a profession which is taught to get the story he did that but he treated me with compassion of a Good Samaritan. I have my life back.

But everyday I have regrets, not just for the dreadful decisions I made in the past years but for failing to have the impact that I had hoped on this illegal trade. I have never been asked by law enforcement about any of the 1,500 names I provided them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Originally Posted by kenji815

too much to read.. so i vote NO

Originally Posted by slowguy626

basically sexual predators visit sites like myspace.com and looks for victims.

there was one news report that a boy (like 13 years old) pretended to be a girl as a practical joke, however it got out hand and he caught a pedophile.

do i feel that this is an invasion of privacy? not really, nothing on the internet can be considered private.

is it an effective way? yes, but i'm sure there are other methods. it's just that everyone feels safe behind their keyboard.