Newton man charged with cyberterrorizing Waltham woman; also suspected in Waltham's summer bomb threats

A Newton man faces federal cyberstalking charges after his arrest last night by federal and local authorities investigating months of threats and harassment against a former roommate and her family and friends.

The US Attorney's office reports that among the allegations against Ryan Lin, 24, is that he made a bomb threat to the landlord of the woman's home in Waltham, and that he is a suspect in a series of other bomb threats against Waltham "institutions associated with her" this summer, including Brandeis University, the Waltham Public Library and Bentley University.

Authorities charge Lin engaged in an extensive campaign against the woman and people who know her, starting in April and continuing right up to yesterday:

Lin, the victim’s former roommate, directly or indirectly, allegedly hacked into the victim’s electronic devices and online accounts, stealing private photographs, personally identifiable information, and private journal entries that contained highly sensitive details about her medical, psychological, and sexual history. It is alleged that Lin, directly or indirectly, then distributed the victim’s private photographs and journal entries to hundreds of others.

It is further alleged that Lin, directly or indirectly, created and posted fraudulent online profiles in the victim’s name (with her photographs and home address) and solicited rape fantasies, including “gang bang” and other sexual activities, which in turn caused men, who the victim did not know, to show up at her home in search of sexual activity. In addition, it is alleged that Lin, directly or indirectly, falsely and repeatedly reported to law enforcement that there were bombs at the victim’s Waltham residence. Lin, directly or indirectly, also allegedly created a false social media profile in the name of the victim’s roommate in Waltham and posted that he was going to “shoot up” a school in a nearby town. These threats were part of a larger pattern of threats to local schools and other institutions in her community.

Watertown and Wellesley police took part in the investigation along with the FBI and Newton and Waltham police, the US Attorney's office says.

Innocent, etc.