Republishing of the November 05, 2019 edition.
On October 22, 2019, Jessica (formerly known as Jonathan) Yaniv lost their infamous and vexatious BC Human Rights Tribunal (BCHRT) complaints over whether female aestheticians should be compelled to wax male genitalia regardless of anyone’s gender identity. Yaniv was found to have targeted each of these women who were evidently racialized, where English was not their first language. It was consistent with Yaniv’s online racist commentary from degrading the Sikh community and engaging in right-wing anti-Immigrant propaganda. In the end, Yaniv was ordered to pay the three Represented Respondents $2,000 each.
Devyn Cousineau, the BCHRT Member presiding over the hearings, found Yaniv was clearly motivated for financial gain and advancing some [twisted] agenda for the LGBTQ+ community, who themselves, for the most part, are greatly distancing themselves from Yaniv’s claims for advocacy and equality. Yaniv’s motivations are always of concern, especially with a number of lawsuits and continued claims to proclaim for equality, yet it was in Yaniv’s own words only one person allegedly supported them (asides from Miriam Yaniv, Jessica’s mother).
Currently, Yaniv still maintains to be a pre-op transgendered woman, meaning they have never transitioned from male-to-female. Although Yaniv has changed their name from Jonathan to Jessica, we have not been able to ascertain whether they have legally changed the gender despite indicating only the change on their Driver’s License.
And today, we have a new informant who has come forward to provide more context in the history of Jessica Yaniv as an opportunistic grifter for personal gain is consistent with the underlying conduct of the Tribunal’s rulings and Yaniv’s own vexatious litigant background.
Our informant, Grace, as we will call her, had briefly worked with Yaniv in the past at a Tech Conference. According to Grace, Jonathan Yaniv made her life miserable, as she felt Yaniv’s actions gave an impression that personnel managing the conference were unable to adequately vet media for CEOs. It is in my opinion that Grace, is just another of many victims of Yaniv’s opportunistic nature.
Grace summarized that Yaniv was a fraud who tricked a huge sponsor into a bunch of free phones and tech, as well as weaselled his way into getting a media pass for the conference. Yaniv called, texted and emailed constantly; however, in the end, not one piece of coverage came from Yaniv’s presence and the woman who was running the entire conference had become furious at what had occurred.
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Was Yaniv working or contracted as JY Knows IT (Yaniv’s personal business) for this Conference? If not, what was his specific role at the Conference?
No, [Yaniv] told the big sponsor that he was a big influencer and in media, [who] would give them tons of “exclusive” content. So [Yaniv] was “media”.
So, as I understand, Yaniv approached them with his own ulterior motives to receive free phones and other devices/peripherals in exchange to provide them exclusive content. Did Yaniv state how he would deliver as a member of the media to give them exclusive content? Did Yaniv discuss the platforms, as you recall?
Yaniv may have discussed that with them. I believe Yaniv would have said he’d tag the sponsor in every post and have access to everyone and everything. I don’t know the specifics of what Yaniv told them, but my mandate from the woman running the whole conference was media passes ONLY if there was coverage. This would be like TechCrunch, Globe and Mail, etc. Not some dweeb with bought followers.
Did Yaniv say specifically what media that he represented? Do you recall how Yaniv ended up getting into the Conference? How did Yaniv weasel his way into a Media pass?
Yaniv said they were with “TrustedNerd”, a major voice in the tech world, always reiterating the sponsor would ensure [the sponsor] got everything they wanted, and he was was there representing them. Yaniv was a last-minute addition to an already hectic list and for the life of me, I could not understand how he had hoodwinked the sponsor. No additional media coverage beyond tweets and exclusive access was what I believe is what Yaniv offered.
I am also glad that you brought up Yaniv’s infamous Twitter Account, @trustednerd. Are you aware Yaniv previous operated a website, especially more active during that period, TrustedNerd.com? Although, in this interviewer’s opinion, it doesn’t look like TrustedNerd.com has seen any updates since roughly 2013-2014. Seems rather archaic when you visit the site. As I understand, Yaniv tried to portray themselves as an “influencer”, yet even doesn’t even appear there was any traffic to the website even before you met Yaniv. What are your thoughts based on what happened at the Conference and this observation?
I thought Yaniv was a fraud and was baffled how he got access to anyone. Far from being charismatic or slick with works or clever, my impression was that of a coddled, entitled person who knew how to bully/harass their way into getting what they want at no merit of their own.
Previously, Anna Slatz of The Post Millennial, had written an expose titled, “Jessica Yaniv ‘admits’ to child predation, doxxing Blaire White, and a new accuser emerges” discussing Yaniv’s conduct at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) involving a barely legal victim at the time who is referred “Jane Doe”, who was victimized to deceit and manipulative tactics to woo her.
Did you see anything similar to what Ms. Slatz reported about Yaniv with Jane Doe in this article? As well, you would find similarities to the conduct that Yaniv engaged one of the women at the BC Human Rights Tribunal. We would love any insights that you may observed or something along the lines of a similar pattern of behaviour between your encounters and these ones on the public record.
This is awful. No, I cannot say I witnessed any inappropriate behaviour like this. Yaniv was simply a constant and demanding annoyance who I saw right through in seconds. I marvelled that this person of seemingly subpar intellect, zero legitimate clout and a downright repugnant persona could convince anyone of anything, let alone credibility and free things from a major company.
Our interactions were strictly about him demanding things, and me questioning the validity of these demands and then stick-handling repercussions of dragging my heels on his demands.
Were there any mannerisms or composure issues with Yaniv that you recall in detail? Was he composed? Anxious? Intimidating? A little bit of each?
Yaniv had a bizarre demeanour, both insecure and pushy, entitled and petulant, but confident. Yaniv was constantly demanding and contacting myself and the sponsor immediately if any whims were not granted on the spot.
Yaniv was not intimidating, just arrogant, offputtingly and transparently a fraud, a weak, but pushy presence. Literally in your face!
Not that I ran, and I would never endorse his attendance at anything. I have no vested interests in how [Yaniv has] cruelly gone after small, ill-informed suburban spas, except for human decency. The neighbourhood I live in has multiple aestheticians who advertise doing Men’s Brazilians, and one, stripped wax bar in multiple locations including the suburbs.
Yaniv is manipulative and seems to be much more disturbed than I could have guessed. JY gave me the creeps, but at no point did I feel threatened. What this has transpired into is truly horrifying and I hope Yaniv gets punished to the fullest extent of the law, as well as anyone complicit in their schemes!
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There you have it – just another example of the opportunist Jessica Yaniv has always been. When Jessica still identified as Jonathan, he branded himself as an “influencer of tech”; however, this story, as well as the quality of his Twitter platform and website seem to contradict this notion.
At this time, we are unable to ascertain whether Trustednerd.com is defunct. However, was can verify that Yaniv did claim on the July 16, 2019, BCHRT hearings to make “mid-three figures per day” according to Twitter reporter @goinglikeelsie.
However, despite stating her income under oath at the risk of perjury, Yaniv is currently subcontracting in retail with recent sightings at the BC Liquor Stores sampling beer, spirits and wine; therefore, many can make safe assumptions about the fate of Trustednerd.com.
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