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MINEOLA - A couple who allegedly extorted people they met on adult Web sites have been indicted by a Nassau County grand jury.

The indictment makes reference to additional victims of the scheme and adds significantly to the charges the couple is facing. District attorney Kathleen Rice said the investigation is continuing and she is urging the public to come forward if they feel they have been victims of the pair.

Appearing in front of Nassau County Court Judge George R. Peck, Michael Largue, 45, was arraigned on charges of second degree and fourth degree grand larceny, third degree attempted grand larceny as well as first degree scheme to defraud and fifth degree conspiracy.

Shawn Payne, 34, is scheduled to be arraigned on identical charges Thursday morning. The both face a maximum of 20 years in prison if convicted on all counts.

Largue and Ms. Payne were arrested in late January in connection with extortion allegations by two victims. Authorities moved quickly to seize evidence from the defendants' computers, which outlined their scheme and identified additional victims and numerous on-line relationships using the Web sites Adultfriendfinder.com., AmericanSingles.com, bbwdating.com, and ALT.com.

After their arrests, an additional victim contacted the Nassau County Police Department's Third Squad and the district attorney's office identified and contacted two additional victims using information obtained from the defendants' computers.

The charges allege that the defendants, in an attempt to identify potential extortion targets, trolled adult Web sites and exchanged pictures with users, in addition to posting their profiles. The names used by the defendants include "Nice Manners", "Master Wonderful" and "Incontrol 626."

Prosecutors said that after several Internet chats and subsequent telephone calls with female victims, Michael Largue would tell women that they were "the one" he had been searching for, and that he was interested in marrying the victim. Largue would then offer to help married women get divorced with the help of a "financial advisor" he would hire for them. That financial advisor was his co-defendant, Shawn Payne. While Largue continued to develop the vulnerability of these women, the charges allege Ms. Payne worked on their finances and acted as a go-between for Largue. Several victims were asked to give or actually gave the defendants their banking and financial information. At least one emptied her bank accounts. Others were urged to sell or mortgage their homes and move in with Largue, who would offer to manage their assets. One female victim lost $50,000. Largue often presented himself as an investment banker or wealthy entrepreneur who was constantly at important meetings and conducting major business deals from "his office". His office was nothing more than a "virtual office" in Garden City where he rented space on an hourly basis.

After several Internet chats and subsequent telephone calls to one male victim, Payne and Largue arranged for Payne to meet the victim for videotaped sexual encounters. The videotaping was done without his knowledge. Soon after, Payne threatened the victim with the release of the photos and videotapes to his spouse, unless he paid $50,000.

After reviewing evidence seized from the defendants, the district attorney's office contacted more than 30 potential victims whose names or screen names were found on the defendants' computers. The investigation is continuing into their contact with the defendants. 3-13-07

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