Anonymous launch campaign to shut down Utah boarding school over abuse allegations

Former students described beatings, bullying and said they were submitted to solitary confinement at Logan River Academy in Logan, Utah

However, the school strongly denies all allegations, saying they are drummed up by the sibling of a former student who was angry their parents sent his brother there

The hacking group has launched a campaign to shut down the facility, claiming it is treating US teenagers like Guantanamo Bay detainees

Anonymous has created a Vimeo video to spearhead operation #ShutLoganRiver and 'demand investigation into possible abuse'

The hacking group Anonymous has taken aim at a Utah boarding school for troubled teenagers a month after allegations of abuse at the academy surfaced.

Former students described beatings, bullying and said they were submitted to solitary confinement during their time at Logan River Academy in Logan.



Co-owner Jeff Smith has denied all allegations, saying they're 'unfounded,' but Anonymous has launched a campaign to shut down the school, claiming it is treating teenagers like Guantanamo Bay detainees.

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Campaign: The hacking group Anonymous has taken aim at a Utah boarding school for troubled teenagers, Logan River Academy, pictured, a month after abuse allegations surfaced

Allegations: Michael Carter's YouTube, pictured, testimony was one of the first to surface on October 13

Michael Carter's testimony was one of the first to surface.



The 28-year-old, who says he spent 13 months at the academy, posted a YouTube video on October 13, claiming he was subjected to incessant indoctrination and punished for saying anything negative about the facility.

Smith would not comment to the Daily Dot on whether Carter ever attended the school.



Other former students echoed the allegations on website shutdownloganriver.com.



These testimonies are the basis of a Vimeo video released by Anonymous to spearhead operation #ShutLoganRiver and 'demand investigation into possible abuse.'



A Change.org petition against the school has collected more than 900 digital signatures.

Meanwhile, @youranonnews, one of the largest Twitter accounts for the Anonymous group, called for a 'tweetstorm' on Monday to raise further awareness.



But Smith told the Daily Dot he believed the claims were drummed up by the sibling of a former academy member who was angry his parents sent his brother there and they were now trying to 'damage the academy.'

'They used social media and the Internet to garner support for their cause, which initially was for the brother to get home,' Smith said.



'It's just morphed into this much bigger thing now. I think it has something to do with how connected people are. There are people who can rally around anything.'

Video: The former students' testimonies are the basis of a Vimeo video, pictured, released by Anonymous to spearhead operation #ShutLoganRiver and 'demand investigation into possible abuse'

Website: Ex-academy members have made allegations on website 'Shutdown Logan River Academy,' pictured





'There's no basis for the allegations out there,' he added, specifically quashing claims that students are 'isolated, secluded, abused, or mistreated in any way.'



He said the academy is licensed and has regular on-site reviews, where the school's 60 students can submit grievances to auditors.



Smith, however, couldn't give details of how many grievances have been filed to date.

