### The Sinister Side of the Internet: The Alarming Realm of “Monkey Crush” Videos
**Content Warning:** This article addresses cases of severe animal cruelty.
In 2017, Philip Colt Moss, an attorney based in Des Moines, Iowa, found himself caught in a legal quagmire following a police raid on his residence, which resulted in felony drug allegations. The officials uncovered a collection of controlled substances, such as marijuana, hashish, OxyContin, Klonopin, Xanax, and Ritalin. Moss’s attorney contended that his client was not a dealer but rather someone in need of assistance, leading Moss to eventually enter a rehabilitation program. After pleading guilty to several misdemeanors and felony charges connected to drug possession, Moss was sentenced to two years of probation, seemingly on the road to recovery.
Nonetheless, Moss’s legal issues were far from resolved. In 2024, he became the focal point of a federal investigation spearheaded by the FBI and the Fish and Wildlife Service, related not to drug offenses but to his participation in a much grimmer enterprise: the creation and distribution of “monkey crush” videos.
### The Appalling Realm of “Monkey Crush” Videos
Though the title “monkey crush” videos may appear harmless, the truth is vastly more unsettling. These recordings showcase the torment and mutilation of monkeys, often extending for hours. The individuals behind these atrocious acts cater to a niche yet profoundly disturbing online audience that takes pleasure in observing animal suffering.
Many of these videos originate from countries like Indonesia, where individuals, sometimes underage, are compensated a few hundred dollars to capture monkeys and film their abuse. The cruelty enacted in these videos is beyond comprehension: monkeys are dressed in diapers, fed from bottles in front of their parents, and then subjected to horrific torment. Bones are shattered, limbs are amputated, wounds are cauterized, and openings are sealed with glue. Some instances even involve sexual abuse.
The “clients” commissioning these videos are not satisfied with swift endings; they request extended agony. They issue detailed directives about how the monkeys should be tortured and often express dissatisfaction if the animals die prematurely. The videos are subsequently distributed through encrypted messaging platforms like Telegram and WhatsApp, where they are sold to other participants in this dark digital subculture.
### Philip Colt Moss: From Attorney to Offender
As part of the federal inquiry, officials uncovered Telegram conversations purportedly sent by Philip Colt Moss to the leader of a “monkey crush” collective. These messages indicated that Moss had not only relapsed into drug use but had also become heavily engaged in producing and distributing these horrifying videos.
In one correspondence, Moss proudly shared his connections to drug dealers, stating, “I got whatever. You need. I got a hookup for anything you’re looking for. Uppers downers. Girls. Lol.” The discussion then turned to monkey videos, with Moss acknowledging that his fiancée did not understand his fixation on the “monkey thing” but tolerated it because it brought him joy.
Moss was apprehended on August 8, 2024, and now faces the prospect of extensive time in federal prison. The indictment against him was made public by the Department of Justice, revealing the full breadth of his involvement in this unsettling online sphere.
### The Offensive Against “Monkey Crush” Videos
The faction of “monkey crush” aficionados may be small, but it is larger than one might assume. Certain distributors have conducted numerous video sales, and the government has dedicated efforts over the past year to dismantle this market.
In December 2023, a man from Wisconsin received a sentence of one year and one day in prison for compensating a videographer in Indonesia to generate a monkey torture video. He issued specific guidelines on how the monkey was to be harmed, and the video was circulated via an encrypted messaging app.
In April 2024, a man from Virginia pleaded guilty to managing a private online chat group dedicated to monkey torture. He received over 300 electronic payments from co-conspirators for the purpose of promoting, producing, and distributing the torture tapes. On one occasion, he even sought additional funds for a bonus payment to a videographer responsible for a video featuring a juvenile monkey being tortured with a jar of ants, causing the monkey’s death.
In May 2024, an Ohio man confessed to creating and disseminating videos showcasing extreme brutality and sexual abuse against monkeys. He utilized encrypted chat applications to funnel money to individuals in Indonesia willing to execute the requested acts of torture on camera. This individual also mailed a thumb drive containing 64 monkey torture videos to a co-conspirator in Wisconsin.
### The Mastermind: Nicholas Dryden
The federal probe ultimately led to the capture of Nicholas Dryden, the presumed mastermind of the group to which Philip Colt Moss was affiliated. Dryden was responsible for overseeing video production and had a contact in Indonesia who was responsible for the filming. Because the Indonesian videographer was a minor, Dryden has
