By Ezekiel David
Two Nigerian brothers have been sentenced to 17 years and six months in a US prison for their involvement in a sextortion scheme targeting a 17-year-old boy.
Samuel, 24, and Samson Ogoshi, 21, from Lagos, deceived an American victim, Jordan DeMay, by posing as a girl his age on Instagram, coaxing him into sending explicit images. They then blackmailed him, demanding money with threats to expose the images if he didn’t comply. Tragically, Jordan took his own life within hours of their conversation.
The case represents the first instance of Nigerians successfully prosecuted in the US for sextortion, a burgeoning cybercrime frequently associated with Nigerian organised crime. In court, Jordan’s mother, Jenn Buta opened up about her pain, saying, “I am shattered to my core.” She said that, under the terrible circumstances, there were no winners, even after the trial.
The Ogoshis had targeted 38 other victims in the US, including 13 minors. In court, they appeared in orange jumpsuits, expressing remorse. Samson Ogoshi apologised, saying, “I’m sorry to the family. We made a bad decision to make money, and I wish I could change that.”
Their defence lawyers blamed drug abuse and Nigeria’s pervasive sextortion culture for the crimes. The judge denounced their conduct and their “callous disregard for life,” given that they persisted in their targeting of other people even after Jordan killed himself.
The US authorities successfully extradited the brothers from Lagos after tracking them down. A third Nigerian man, also linked to Jordan’s death, is contesting extradition. Jordan’s mother praised the police but felt conflicted about the Ogoshis’ imprisonment, acknowledging the pain of both families involved.
Nigeria is a hotspot for these types of crimes, according to research and law officials. A number of global instances involving teenage suicides in Australia, the US, Canada, and Scotland have been linked to recent arrests in Nigeria. The Network Contagion Research Institute revealed in January that sextortion strategies were being shared on Nigerian platforms.
Professor Adedeji Oyenuga of Lagos State University hopes these prosecutions deter future crimes. He noted, “The Ogoshis case has already sent a bad signal,” indicating a potential decrease in such activities. Despite challenges, Nigerian authorities have made strides in addressing these crimes.
Cybercrime and online fraud are prevalent among the criminal elements of Nigeria’s tech-savvy youth, who are popularly referred to as “Yahoo Boys”. Dr Tombari Sibe from Digital Footprints Nigeria stressed the need for awareness about the severe consequences of sextortion. He stated, “This case needs to be given sufficient coverage to show these young people that sextortion can lead to loss of life and long prison sentences.”
(Source: BBC)
