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Two Nigerians brothers sentenced to over 17 years in ‘sextortion’ case that led to Michigan teen’s suicide

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A US court has sentenced two Nigerian brothers, Samuel Ogoshi, 24, and Samson Ogoshi, 21, to 17 years and six months in prison.

They were sentenced for their involvement in a sextortion scheme that tragically led to the suicide of 17-year-old Jordan DeMay.

They sent DeMay a friend request on Instagram, pretending to be a girl his age, and flirted with him.

The brothers lured DeMay into sending them explicit images by pretending to be a girl his age and threatened to send his pictures to his friends if he did not send money.

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DeMay sent as much money as he could and pleaded with the scammers, threatening to kill himself if they spread the images.

“Good… Do that fast, or I’ll make you do it,” the brothers replied.

However, DeMay took his own life less than six hours after their initial conversation on March 25, 2022.

This case marks the first successful prosecution of Nigerians for sextortion in the U.S., highlighting a growing trend of such crimes linked to Nigeria.

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John DeMay, the deceased’s father, told Marquette federal court in Michigan that he still had nightmares after finding his son dead in his bedroom.

He said the family moved out of the house to escape the memory.

The brothers were extradited to the US in August 2023 to face prosecution over numerous cases of sexual extortion of young men and teenage boys on social media linked to them.

They pleaded guilty in April to conspiring to exploit teenage boys in Michigan and across the US sexually.

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In a statement on Thursday, Merrick Garland, attorney general, said over 100 victims, including at least eleven minors, fell to the brothers’ scam.

“These sentences should serve as a warning that the perpetrators of online sexual exploitation and extortion cannot escape accountability for their heinous crimes by hiding behind their phones and computers,” Garland said.

“The Justice Department will find them, no matter where they are, and we will bring them to justice in the United States.”

At the sentencing, both brothers apologised to DeMay’s family.

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“I’m sorry to the family. We made a bad decision to make money, and I wish I could change that,” Samson said.

Their defence attorneys said the brothers’ crimes were fuelled by drug abuse and the sextortion scam culture in Nigeria.

The judge said the crimes showed a “callous disregard for life,” especially as they continued targeting other victims even after learning that DeMay died.

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Mahama’s inauguration: Ghanaian police IG controls traffic

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Being a typically busy day in Accra, due to the inauguration of the President-Elect, John Dramani Mahama, and his vice, Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, the traffic situation especially around the Independence Square is expected to be challenging.

And, although he had already deployed many police personnel to the grounds of the inauguration to ensure security, law, and order, the Inspector General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, was forced at a point to help in the work itself.

In images shared by Daily Graphic on Facebook, the IGP was captured directing traffic at a certain part of the city.

This is believed to have happened as he headed to the Black Star Square to join other invited guests and dignitaries for the inauguration of John Mahama as the president of Ghana.

“The IGP stepped out of his car en route to the inauguration grounds to direct traffic,” the caption of the post on Facebook said.

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The momentous and historic occasion has drawn significant attention both domestically and internationally.

It is expected to be attended by 21 Heads of State, alongside three vice presidents, four ministers, and 24 envoys.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Information, the swearing-in ceremony will also feature a number of dignitaries from across the world, including 21 Heads of State from Africa and beyond.

Other dignitaries from across all sectors of the economy, including foreign leaders and security service personnel are also in attendance.

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Source: www.ghanaweb.com

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ICPC drags El-rufai’s ex-Chief of Staff to court over alleged money laundering

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The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has charged former Chief of Staff, to former Governor Nasir El-Rufa’i of Kaduna State, Alhaji Muhammad Bashir Saidu, to the Federal High Court.

Saidu who was also a one-time Commissioner of Finance in Kaduna State during the El Rufai’s administration, was charged along with    one Ibrahim Muktar, ‘’a public officer in the employment of Ministry of Finance,’’ on Tuesday.

According to charge No FHC/KD/IC/2025,  the defendants are being accused of a two-count charges of Money Laundering, contrary to earlier claim that Alhaji Muhammad Bashir Saidu had  been exonerated of all charges after 10 months of investigation.

The court document stated that sometime in March 2022 or thereabouts, Alhaji Muhammad Bashir Saidu, who at that time Commissioner of Finance, ‘’did accept cash payment of the sum of N155,000,000.00 from one Ibrahim Muktar exceeding the amount authorised by law, which sum you received in cash through proxy to wit: Muazu Abdu, your Special Assistant and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section2(a) and punishable under the Section 19(d) of the Money Laundering(Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.’’

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The ICPC  also alleged that in the same March 2022 or thereabouts, Bashir Saidu ‘’indirectly took control of the sum of N155, 000,000.00 received in cash for and on behalf of you by one Muazu Abdul from Ibrahim Muktar, which fund you reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity to wit: corruption and you hereby committed an offence contrary to section 18(2)(d) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering(Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.’’

Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 states that ‘’any person who contravenes the provisions of subsection(2) is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of not less than four years but not more than fourteen years or a fine not less than five times the value of the proceeds of the crime or both.’’

The charge  which was signed by the Assistant Chief Legal Officer of ICPC, Dr Osuobeni Ekoi Akponimisingha, was filed on Tuesday, January 7, 2025 at the Federal High Court of Nigeria, Holden in Kaduna.

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Enugu State Government System Hacked, Over N1 Billion Stolen — Police reveals

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Police authorities on Tuesday, revealed how a cyber criminal hacked into the system of the Enugu State Government and stole the whooping sum of N1,097,700,300 from its coffers.

The police said it took the swift intervention of the operatives of its departments, National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC), to trace the hacker and recover the stolen money.

The spokesman of the Force, Mr. Olumuyiwa Adejobi, who disclosed this to newsmen in Abuja during a press briefing, gave the name of the suspected hacker as Onuma Osita.

The police image maker told newsmen that the hacker had already been taken into custody while the funds estimated to be $754,977 had been recovered and returned to the state government purse.

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Adejobi said, “NPF-NCCC investigated a report by the Enugu State Government against one Onuma Osita who defrauded the Enugu State Government of over N1bn in a procurement fraud.

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