Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Queens Man Holds Ex's Facebook Page Hostage
By
Jen Carlson
Published Feb 25, 2010
Modified Feb 25, 2010
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Carlson
Published Feb 25, 2010
Modified Feb 25, 2010
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
A Queens man was arrested and charged with coercion and harassment after holding his ex-girlfriend's Facebook profile hostage. Paul Franco changed Jessica Zamora-Anderson's sexual preference on her page, and then demanded cash if she wanted to regain control of her account. And it turns out Franco has a history of being a totally weird, manipulative guy.
He met the Guatemalan native and Queens College student on Facebook in 2008, when he told her he was an English teacher at her school. Surprise: he wasn't! She didn't find out until 2009 that he had lied, and is really a violent-tempered musician. He threatened her with a possibly non-existent sex tape, made her pay for his impounded car, and threw a phone at her, injuring her head. But the Facebook page was the last straw!
Earlier this month when she found out he had been holding it hostage, she finally called in authorities. She told the NY Post, "Half the people in my country have heard about this. It's destroyed my life. He said I was interested in women. I got a lot of requests for relationships with women—and he was the one accepting them."
Tagged
hostage
Jessica Zamora-Anderson
Paul Franco
queens
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Better days ahead for NYC commuters with Democrats in control of Congress, MTA chair says
Republicans’ “anti-city” agenda was rejected by voters, MTA Chair Janno Lieber said.
By
Stephen Nessen
and
Ramsey Khalifeh
Published Nov 5, 2026 at 5:59 p.m. ET
$20 rent-control cap coming to Elizabeth, New Jersey
Voters approved the annual limit in this week's election.
By
Michael Sol Warren
News
$20 rent-control cap coming to Elizabeth, New Jersey
Voters approved the annual limit in this week's election.
By
Michael Sol Warren
Feds accuse former FBI agent of Brooklyn hit and run, leaving victim on a bench
By
Charles Lane
Battery found at deadly Sunset Park fire days after similar blaze in Bronx
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Inside New York's bitter Republican civil war after blue wave
By
Walter Wuthmann
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .