On May 3, 2023, Mark Totten, the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan, announced the unsealing of a federal indictment accusing the three Nigerians of sexually extorting numerous young men and teenage boys in the Western District of Michigan and across the country.

One of the men was charged with causing the death of Jordan DeMay, of Marquette, Michigan.

According to the statement, “On March 25, 2022, 17-year-old DeMay was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. His death prompted an investigation by the Marquette County Sheriff’s Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which culminated in the indictment unsealed today.”

“Sextortion is a horrible crime that can leave especially younger victims feeling ashamed with nowhere to turn,” Mark Totten said.

“My heart goes out to the family of Jordan DeMay. Nothing can bring Jordan back, but my office is committed to securing justice and, alongside Jordan’s family, sending an urgent warning so others can protect themselves and their families. We will travel the world to hold the perpetrators of these crimes accountable.”

In Nigeria, a report in April 2023 by The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), recorded a breakthrough in its efforts to arrest issues of sextortion in Nigeria as it apprehended some members of a notorious cult known for perpetrating gruesome acts of sextortion and terrorising young girls and other residents of the FCT and its environs.

These perpetrators were apprehended following an intense surveillance and undercover operation ordered by NAPTIP’s Director General, Professor Fatima Waziri – Azi, in response to several complaints from victims and other stakeholders.

Sextortion has become increasingly common in Nigeria in recent years. This abhorrent crime involves the use of sex tapes or other explicit material to blackmail individuals, usually for financial gain. It violates fundamental human rights and has the ability to damage the lives of its victims. 

Sextortion is on the rise, particularly among young people. The internet and social media have made it simpler for criminals to spread obscene material, leading to an upsurge in sextortion cases. Victims of this crime are frequently shocked and humiliated, and many suffer from depression and other psychological issues. Victims have committed suicide in severe situations as a result of the shame and disgrace caused by sex extortion.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Centre for Missing & Exploited Children, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, National Crime Agency, and Toronto Police Service have issued a combined advisory regarding global financial sextortion carried out by perpetrators who are “often adults based in West Africa.”

The FBI issued the joint warning on February 7th, 2023, citing the “explosion” of reports of young boys being coerced into sending sexually explicit pictures online before being demanded to pay money.

According to VOA, “on gaming sites and video chat applications, predators, often adults based in West Africa and posing as young girls, trick victims into sending them explicit videos or photos and then threaten to release the material unless they send money or gift cards.”

The FBI said it received in 2022 “thousands of reports related to the financial sextortion of minors, primarily boys, representing an exponential increase from previous years.” 

The advisory also indicated that the FBI is also aware of more than a dozen suicides following these incidents. 

“Today, on Safer Internet Day, we are urging children and caregivers to educate themselves about this crime and help us protect others from being victimised,” FBI director Christopher Wray said.

He warned further that financial sextortion has a far wider impact than “just our country and our kids—it is a global crisis that demands everyone’s attention.” 

The joint alert explained that predators use digital platforms like social media, gaming websites, or video chat applications, posing “as girls of a similar age and use fake accounts to target young boys, deceiving them” into sending explicit photos or videos. 

In early April 2023, an online scandal surfaced on twitter regarding a popular social media influencer known as Pelumi Jellybum, who faced a barrage of accusations ranging from allegedly taking women’s nudes and selling to men. Among the list of accusations was the allegation from a netizen that Pelumi had stolen an intimate video from her boyfriend’s laptop to extort her.

This depicts the possibility of sextortion being perpetrated by influential figures of social media.

Nigeria must begin by raising awareness about the crime and its consequences for victims. Young people must be taught about the consequences of sexting and distributing sexual content in order to prevent this crime. Kids must be enlightened about their rights and how to avoid sex extortion. Parents, teachers, and religious leaders all bear this responsibility in educating children about this atrocity.