A website known for posting mug shots and court documents of arrested celebrities is purporting to have "outed" two Canadian residents as ringleaders of an online network of pranksters responsible for "cruel and outrageous hoaxes."

The Smoking Gun says an unemployed 25-year-old Windsor, Ont., man founded the Internet group known as "Pranknet" that is responsible for "vandalism, threats, harassment, impersonation, hacking, and other assorted felonies" targeting Americans.

His online handle is Dex and his "second-in-command" is a 51-year-old Toronto man who calls himself Hempster, the website says. Posing as hotel employees, emergency workers and fire alarm officials, Pranknet members have "prodded unwitting victims to destroy hotel rooms and lobbies, set off sprinkler systems, activate alarms" and damage restaurants, the website says.

A number of the pranks were broadcast "live" on the Internet, says Smoking Gun. Its scathing article provides links to some of them.

Another link is to an Orange County (Florida) Sheriff's Office bulletin warning of a "disturbing trend" of pranksters duping hotel guests to commit destructive acts.