Nigerians Sentenced for Sextortion Scheme Linked to Michigan Teen’s Death

The Justice Department recently announced the sentencing of two Nigerian brothers involved in a sextortion scheme that led to the tragic death of a teenager from Michigan. Samuel Ogoshi, 24, and his brother Samson Ogoshi, 21, were each given sentences of 210 months in prison, along with five years of supervised release. Their activities targeted over 100 victims, including at least 11 minors.

The case drew widespread attention following the suicide of 17-year-old Jordan DeMay from Marquette, Michigan, who was among the victims of this sextortion operation. Following the announcement of the sentences, U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland emphasized that these harsh punishments serve as a critical reminder that perpetrators of online sexual exploitation and extortion will face justice, regardless of their forms of concealment.

U.S. Attorney Mark Totten, representing the Western District of Michigan, issued a stern warning to teenagers and anyone who uses cell phones. He urged them not to share compromising images and to remain cautious about who they interact with online. “Today’s sentencing sends a strong message to criminals engaged in these schemes: there is no escape from accountability,” he asserted.

In a press conference held on the same day, Totten revealed that several other deaths connected to sextortion are currently under investigation in the Western District of Michigan. This highlights the growing concern about the impact of such schemes on vulnerable individuals, particularly teenagers.

The Justice Department detailed how the Ogoshi brothers orchestrated their sextortion scheme by hacking social media accounts and posing as young women. They created fake profiles to lure teenagers into a false sense of security. Victims were then persuaded to send explicit images of themselves, believing they were sharing them with someone they could trust.

Once they acquired these images, the brothers compiled them into collages and threatened to expose the material to the victims’ families, friends, and classmates unless the victims paid them money. This coercive tactic caused immense distress and has resulted in tragic outcomes, including the death of DeMay.

The Ogoshi brothers were extradited to the United States in August 2023 and subsequently pleaded guilty in April. Furthermore, a third co-conspirator, Ezekiel Robert, is also facing charges related to this sextortion scheme. Robert is currently appealing his extradition from Nigeria, and the matter is pending before the Nigerian High Court.

This case is not isolated, as global reports indicate rising incidents of sextortion. In a separate incident, Australian authorities arrested two Nigerian men involved in a different sextortion case where an Australian teenager took her own life after being threatened with the release of intimate photos.

Sextortion is defined as the act of coercing a victim into producing sexually explicit material, with the perpetrator subsequently demanding money or further content under the threat of releasing the material. Such schemes have been increasingly prevalent on social media platforms.

In response to these growing threats, Meta reported taking significant steps to combat sextortion on its platform. In July, it announced the removal of 63,000 Instagram accounts traced back to Nigeria and dismantled a coordinated network of around 2,500 accounts linked to 20 individuals implicated in sextortion schemes.

The sentencing of the Ogoshi brothers marks a crucial development in the ongoing battle against online sexual exploitation and underscores the serious consequences that can result from the misuse of technology.