Matthew Tivy, a celebrity chef who has also been on the Food Network, was arrested Thursday morning on child pornography charges.
Even after his May arrest, prosecutors said there's evidence that shows Tivy used the website "Chaturbate," an Internet-based program that users can engage in sexually explicit conduct that is displayed via webcam and discussed via chat. On July 18, records show Tivy was chatting on the service about his sexual experience with minors.
Tivy is accused of distributing explicit photos and videos of teens from New Jersey, Florida and Ohio. FBI agents are actively looking for more victims.
Tivy, 54, of Morningside Heights, is the chef/owner at Caf du Soleil on the Upper West Side.
He was arrested around 6 a.m. by FBI agents without incident. He appeared in federal court in Manhattan Thursday afternoon.
According to court documents, police uncovered new information in a search of Tivy's cellphone following his initial arrest on May 6. In the most recent arrest Tivy allegedly met up last December with a 14- or 15-year-old boy he met on Grindr, a dating/hookup app for gay men. They met at the top level of the a parking garage and engaged in sexual activity. The boy was a junior at a high school in the Bronx at the time. They recorded their encounter and Tivy later asked the boy to send him numerous video clips.
Law enforcement stated Tivy texted the teenager in a while. Here is which discussion investigators drawn through their cell phone:
Even after his May arrest, prosecutors said there's evidence that shows Tivy used the website "Chaturbate," an Internet-based program that users can engage in sexually explicit conduct that is displayed via webcam and discussed via chat. On July 18, records show Tivy was chatting on the service about his sexual experience with minors.
Tivy is accused of distributing explicit photos and videos of teens from New Jersey, Florida and Ohio. FBI agents are actively looking for more victims.
Tivy, 54, of Morningside Heights, is the chef/owner at Caf du Soleil on the Upper West Side.
He was arrested around 6 a.m. by FBI agents without incident. He appeared in federal court in Manhattan Thursday afternoon.
According to court documents, police uncovered new information in a search of Tivy's cellphone following his initial arrest on May 6. In the most recent arrest Tivy allegedly met up last December with a 14- or 15-year-old boy he met on Grindr, a dating/hookup app for gay men. They met at the top level of the a parking garage and engaged in sexual activity. The boy was a junior at a high school in the Bronx at the time. They recorded their encounter and Tivy later asked the boy to send him numerous video clips.
Law enforcement stated Tivy texted the teenager in a while. Here is which discussion investigators drawn through their cell phone:
- Tivy: "Even though you were very bad not to tell how young you are haha but I didn't mind."
- Teen: "Oh, I thought I told you."
- Tivy: "I've been with a high school guy before so it's cool."
