GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A little more than a year after a Michigan teenager died by suicide, three Nigerian men are now facing federal charges for sextortion.
The FBI has seen a disturbing increase in sextortion reports over the last year.
The U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan announced Wednesday the unsealing of a federal indictment charging Samuel Ogoshi, 22, Samson Ogoshi, 20, and Ezekiel Ejehem Robert, 19, all of Lagos, Nigeria, with sexually extorting numerous young men and teenage boys in West Michigan and across the United States.
One of the men, Samuel Ogoshi, was charged with causing the death of Jordan DeMay of Marquette. Sexual Exploitation and Attempted Sexual Exploitation of a Minor Resulting in Death carries a maximum penalty of life in prison and a statutory mandatory minimum of 30 years in prison.
- Count 2 charges all three men with Conspiracy to Sexually Exploit Minors by causing the minors to produce child pornographic images that the defendants then used to blackmail the minors. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison.
- Count 3 charges all three men with Conspiracy to Distribute Child Pornography for sending the child pornography images to the minors, as well as their families and friends. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years in prison.
- Count 4 charges Conspiracy to Commit Stalking Through the Internet for engaging in this sextortion scheme as it relates to both minors and young adults. The charge has a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison.
Jordan DeMay's parents are sharing their son's story to warn others about "Sextortion via Instragram."
The federal indictment alleges these men not only targeted this boy from Marquette, but also more than 100 other victims, both minors and adults.
"Our hearts will forever be broken with a huge part of our lives missing," said his mother, Jennifer Buta.
Buta and John DeMay, Jordan's father, lost their 17-year-old son on March 25, 2022.
"Over the course of a short conversation, Samuel Ogoshi pretending to be this young woman, persuaded Jordan DeMay to send a sexually explicit image of himself," said Mark Totten, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan.
Totten says Ogoshi used a hacked social media account to then extort money from Jordan.
Here is message exchange between one of the alleged perpetrators and Jordan.
"I'm kmsrn which means, 'I'm killing myself right now. Because of you'. Ogashi responds, 'Good.' 'Do that fast or I'll make you do it.' 'I swear to God.' And Jordan used a firearm to end his life," said Totten.
An FBI spokesperson says parents should remain vigilant, and victims should know they're not alone and shouldn't be afraid to report these crimes.
"Report the predators account via the platform's safety feature," said James Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Michigan. "Block the predator but don't delete the profile or messages because that information can be extremely helpful for law enforcement in identifying the perp. Ask for help from a trusted adult or law enforcement before sending money or images."
Jordan's parents hope to raise awareness about this scary scheme.
"Our family has forever been changed by this heinous crime and our goal is to prevent another individual from being victimized," said Buta.
The investigation is ongoing and more people could be charged.
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