A woman whose high school photos were digitally altered to appear nude and then shared online says she feels “completely manipulated” and let down by a justice system that has so far spared one of the men involved from jail time.

Madison Kinsella, 32, graduated from Plymouth-Canton Educational Park in 2011.

She said she first learned in 2023 that images of her as a minor had been hacked from her and altered to appear nude.

“I received a message from a fellow victim,” Kinsella said in an interview with the Investigators on Local 4. “She informed me that an agent that was involved in the case that they were building was also going to reach out, and later on that week, they actually came to my parents’ home in Michigan and spoke with them about what was going on.”

Kinsella said she was traveling when she got the call, trying to process what federal investigators were telling her.

“Your brain has never moved faster than when you’re hearing that information,” Kinsella said. “And then all of a sudden, you’re realizing that’s why I had my Apple ID password changing every day for two years, because these people were hacking into my phone and doing God knows what. And it’s just a violation of privacy, of trust, of thinking you know someone.”

The backstory

Federal prosecutors said three former P-CEP students, Daniel Bihn, an engineer; Michael Justus, who worked in digital technology and AI; and Bernard Rice, a psychiatric nurse practitioner, conspired for years to hack accounts and steal or manipulate intimate photos of women, often former classmates, then trade or post them online.

Investigators said the men used a Russian website and the anonymous messaging platform Discord to exchange nude images, some of which were obtained by hacking Snapchat accounts and accessing the password-protected “My Eyes Only” feature.

Court records show agents eventually tied online usernames, including “Triangle Guy,” alleged to be Bihn, to the former students and raided Bihn’s home in January 2021, seizing electronics.

Later that year, investigators searched Justus’ Illinois home and connected Rice to the chats.

The chats

In one 2019 Discord exchange described in federal filings, Justus and Rice discussed a “list” of women for Bihn to target:

“Very interested to see your list and see if there’s any blatant misses on my end.”

“Just got around to it lol.”

“She’s cute – nice add.”

“Good stuff.”

Kinsella said her images were not true nude photographs but rather high school pictures that had been digitally altered, something she considers a very small consolation.

“I consider myself somewhat lucky that it wasn’t a real private image, and I take some peace in knowing that it was fake,” Kinsella said. “However, I feel completely manipulated in this situation, completely … just used. It’s shattering, really, to know that this is what my face has been put on and to be made to look like… that some people believe that is me.”

“Humiliation is an understatement,” Kinsella added. “It’s just a very devastating, violating feeling.”

Kinsella said she is especially angered by what she sees as attempts to cast some of the men as socially awkward or starved for female attention.

“I find it very interesting that in the court documents that are public, we can read that there’s been a sort of spin on these men not getting female attention,” Kinsella said. “Mike Justus, who I know, I can say that wasn’t true. It’s a complete lie.”

Guilty pleas

All three men pleaded guilty in 2024 to conspiracy to commit fraud and related computer activity.

Bihn has been sentenced to time served, along with probation and restitution.

Rice was also sentenced to probation and restitution. Justus is scheduled to be sentenced on March 26.

Kinsella said she is disappointed but not surprised by the sentences handed down so far.

“If we can’t rely on the court system to do what needs to be done, then unfortunately it’s on our communities to respond, and I hope that is what happens,” Kinsella said.

Another victim, in a statement read in court, described the lasting trauma:

“When I found out my private photos have been posted online, I began having daily panic attacks multiple times per day, could not leave my house, had to start weekly therapy; I’m still working through this trauma to this day.”

Kinsella said she, too, has been in therapy since learning about the manipulated images.

She said she is “terrified” that more manipulated images of her are out there.

“To the women that have had to go through this, either in this specific experience or something similar, I think it’s important to find your power and your voice,” Kinsella said. “Even if men are going to behave this way, you owe it to yourself to be your fullest and most alive self and not stifle or be scared of the world.”

Kinsella believes change will only come if women stand together and communities refuse to look the other way.

“My prayer is that one day this will change and no longer be a reality,” Kinsella said. “And that only happens when we all work together.”

Kinsella said she and several other women plan to attend Justus’ sentencing on March 26th to “look him in the eyes.”

BUFFALO, NY – Michigan State basketball’s battle cry of “strength in numbers” a year ago led to a Big Ten title and an Elite Eight run.

That depth has somewhat disappeared for Tom Izzo as he prepares to open his 28th straight NCAA tournament. But beyond the Spartans’ core-four captains and freshman starter, Jordan Scott, the key reserves know what they mean to this team as the games wind down and the intensity amplifies.

“It’s very important,” sophomore guard Kur Teng said Wednesday, March 18. “Kind of our motto here is strength in numbers. So coming off the bench, I want to be able to produce in any way I can.”

The urgency arrives Thursday, when 3-seed MSU (25-7) opens the first round of the East region against 14-seed North Dakota State (27-7). Tipoff at KeyBank Center is 4:05 p.m. (TNT).

While the attention and heavy workload will be on the shoulders of Jeremy Fears Jr., Coen Carr, Jaxon Kohler, Carson Cooper and Scott, the backups behind them with the potential for two win-or-go-home games in three days becomes essential to giving them breaks while also providing production.

“It’s not really about the minutes,” redshirt freshman Jesse McCulloch said Wednesday, March 18. “It’s really about having our role and going out there and playing as hard as we can for the amount of that we got and knowing that we can contribute to the game by playing as hard as possible.”

Teng and freshman forward Cam Ward have been the two most used subs this season for Izzo, particularly as his rotation has shrunk over the past month. But backup point guard Denham Wojcik still gets key, albeit brief, minutes replacing Fears. And both McCulloch and sixth-year senior guard Trey Fort have been called into duty at pivotal moments, be it with foul trouble or inefficiency from the starters.

MORE: How Coen Carr became nation’s top dunker for Michigan State basketball

Izzo said the NCAA Tournament, with longer and more frequent TV timeouts, allows coaches to further shrink their playing groups and give starters more minutes.

“But there’s always foul trouble, and there’s always things like that,” he said Wednesday. “I think your subs are always important. I think it’s hurt us a little bit not having Divine (Ugochukwu), for sure. Last year, our whole battle cry was strength in numbers, and we had numbers and we kept rotating people in there. It’s not been quite the same this year, even though we are utilizing our subs.”

Ugochukwu, who is out after foot surgery from an early-February injury, went through the public practice Wednesday but is not expected to be able to return during the NCAAs. That has left MSU’s guard situation thin at times behind Fears and Scott.

However, the 6-foot-5, 200-pound Teng has come on over his last nine games, averaging 10.2 points and making 43.1% from 3-point range. Teng also has picked up his scrappiness beyond scoring, adding 2.3 rebounds in that span that includes nine offensive boards.

“I think Kur Teng is really playing better,” Izzo said. “And if he’s making shots, that helps us.”

Ward also has gradually shown improvement after a wrist injury suffered in a Thanksgiving Day win over North Carolina hampered the midportion of his first season. The 6-9, 230-pound forward is averaging 4.9 points and 4.2 rebounds in the past nine games while shooting 58.1% from the field. He also has six blocks and four steals while playing at key times.

DETROIT – Gas prices across the U.S. have reached a 2.5-year high, and Michigan drivers are seeing the impact at the pump.

Michigan’s average price rose another 12 cents overnight to $3.87 a gallon, nearly $1 more than a month ago, according to AAA.

On Tuesday, some stations in Metro Detroit are charging $4 or more.

“I just drive around, do little jobs for people — and the gas prices are making me not want to do it anymore because they are crazy,” said Tina, a Metro Detroit driver.

Other drivers echoed the frustration. Charlie Oleson, who washes cars at dealerships, said fuel costs are cutting into his earnings.

“It’s a little bit less money in our pockets,” Oleson said.

Diesel drivers are also seeing steep costs, with prices in some areas surging above $5 a gallon. Sean Moore, a truck driver, said filling a large tank can run hundreds of dollars.

“This one has a 90-gallon tank. It cost over $300 to fill it up,” Moore said.

So far, gas prices are still far below Michigan’s record high. In 2022, the statewide average hit $5.22 a gallon, according to AAA.

How drivers can save:

GasBuddy says small choices can help reduce costs:

• Shop around for lower prices.

• Fill up on Sundays, which are often cheaper than midweek.

• Pay with cash when possible to save 5 to 10 cents per gallon.

• Drive more efficiently by easing off the accelerator, using cruise control and leaving a few minutes early.

“Fuel efficiency is really dictated by your foot on your accelerator,” GasBuddy petroleum analyst Patrick De Haan said.

As for when prices will ease, De Haan said it’s not clear.

“There’s really no telling how high we will go. As long as this situation continues, we will continue to see prices advancing,” he said.

GasBuddy also notes supply is shifting from the winter blend to the summer blend as demand rises with spring break travel. Prices could climb through Memorial Day, though how high they go remains uncertain.

AAA also offers a “Gas Cost Calculator” to help budget for trips.