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Lawsuit Accuses Roblox, Discord, and Uber of Failing to Prevent Abduction and Assault of Teen
A 19-year-old woman has filed a lawsuit against Roblox, Discord, and Uber, alleging the companies failed to address warnings about a user's predatory behavior. The suit claims the user arranged an off-platform Uber ride to transport her from Indiana to New Jersey, where she was confined and assaulted. The case was filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
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A 19-year-old woman filed a lawsuit on Friday in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California against Roblox, Discord, and Uber. The suit alleges that a user known as "DoctorRofatnik," identified as Arnold Castillo, used the platforms to contact and transport her when she was 15 years old.
According to the lawsuit, Castillo arranged for an Uber driver to drive her from Indiana to his New Jersey residence for $1,000 paid via CashApp. The plaintiff claims she was confined in a small room and sexually assaulted multiple times. The suit states that law enforcement located her through an Instagram login linked to Castillo's address and arrested him.
Castillo pleaded guilty in 2023 to transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity and coercion and enticement of a minor, and he is serving a 15-year federal prison sentence.
The lawsuit alleges that months before the incident, users on Roblox and Discord reported "DoctorRofatnik" for sending sexual messages to minors, including screenshots shared online. " In January 2022, The Guardian published an article detailing Castillo's behavior, including messages to multiple underage girls.
According to the suit, Roblox and Discord did not investigate adequately, allowing Castillo to create new accounts and transfer game ownership to continue receiving payments from Roblox. The plaintiff contacted Castillo in January 2022 as a fan of his Roblox game, and they communicated via Discord, phone, and text.
