(NewsNation) — The FBI is warning parents, teachers and children of the growing threat of “sextortion,” a crime in which offenders solicit and entice a minor to engage in sexual acts and later threaten to release the material online.
Between October 2021 and March 2023, officials said they received over 13,000 reports of online financial sextortion of minors involving at least 12,600 victims and leading to at least 20 suicides.
Between October 2022 and March 2023, the FBI said they have seen a 20% increase in reports of financially motivated sextortion.
What is sextortion?
According to the FBI, “sextortion” involves an offender coercing a victim to send sexually explicit material and then threatening to release it online if the victim doesn’t send more sexually explicit content or payment.
The offenders often seek some combination of sexual gratification and money, usually in the form of gift cards, mobile payments, wire transfers or cryptocurrency, officials said.
Victims are usually boys between the ages of 14 and 17, but any child can be targeted. Sextortion can lead victims to self-harm or suicide, according to the FBI.
In financially motivated sextortion, offenders are usually located outside of the U.S. and most often in West African or Southeast Asian countries.
Sextortion’s impact on victims
Jordan DeMay, a 17-year-old Michigan teen, took his own life in March 2023 after falling victim to a sextortion scheme.
His father told NewsNation he had no idea his son was facing fears of what could happen if his images were released. In the wake of his death, DeMay’s parents are urging other parents to limit social media usage for their children.
In May 2023, three Nigerian men — Samuel Ogoshi, 22; Samson Ogoshi, 20; and Ezekial Ejehem Robert, 19 — were indicted in connection to DeMay’s sextortion case. Officials allege they targeted up to 100 people across the U.S.
Samuel and Samson Ogoshi, who are brothers, were extradited to Michigan in August 2023. They pleaded not guilty during their arraignment on Aug. 17. A motion for bond was denied for both men Aug. 23, WLUC-TV reports.
Samuel Ogoshi faces life in prison, while Samson Ogoshi will face up to 55 years, per WLUC. No new court date has been set yet.
Francesca Mani, 14, was among several students at a New Jersey high school who said their pictures were manipulated using AI and turned into fake nude photos last year.
It reportedly happened in the summer of 2023 but did not come to the school’s attention until October.
Mani’s mother, Dorota, said she received a call from the school letting her know nude pictures were created using the faces of some female students and circulated among a group of friends on Snapchat.
Dorota Mani said more than 30 girls are believed to have been impacted, and one boy was suspended for three days over the incident.
How law enforcement is combatting sextortion
Victims like Francesca Mani are now helping lawmakers push for the first federal law targeting the creation of nonconsensual, deepfake pornography.
She’s working with her representatives to advocate for HR 6466, the AI Labeling Act of 2023, and HR 3106, the Preventing Deepfakes of Intimate Images Act.
The Preventing Deepfakes of Intimate Images Act aims to prohibit the nonconsensual disclosure of digitally altered intimate images. The legislation would make sharing the images a criminal offense and create a right of private action for victims.
Until now, there has been no federal effort to protect against deepfakes.
Meanwhile, the FBI works with agencies and departments at all levels to go after these criminals.
“In addition to our offices around the U.S., we have offices around the world,” said FBI Norfolk Assistant Special Agent In Charge Jason Bilnoski. “So we work with not only our local, state and federal partners, but we work with our international partners to make sure that we locate, we find and hold these actors accountable.”
How to protect yourself and loved ones
Officials urge parents to look out for troubling behavior, like changes in their child’s demeanor or increased secrecy around technology.
Additionally, the FBI has issued the following recommendations:
- Monitor children’s online activity and discuss risks associated with sharing personal content.
- Use discretion when posting images, videos and personal content online, particularly those that include children or their information.
- Run frequent online searches of you and your children’s information (e.g., full name, address, phone number, etc.) to help identify the exposure and spread of personal information on the internet.
- Apply privacy settings on social media accounts — including setting profiles and your friends lists as private — to limit the public exposure of your photos, videos, and other personal information.
- Do not provide any unknown or unfamiliar individuals with money or other items of value. Complying with malicious actors does not guarantee your sensitive photos or content will not be shared.
Anyone who thinks they or a loved one are victims of sextortion should report it to law enforcement immediately by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI or report it online at tips.fbi.gov.
If you or someone you know needs help, resources or someone to talk to, you can find it at the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline website or by calling 800-273-8255. People are available to talk to 24/7.
