Five Americans have pleaded guilty to money laundering charges related to a sextortion scheme originating in Nigeria that resulted in the suicide of a Michigan teenager. Kendall Ormond London, Brian Keith Coldmon, Jr., Jarell Daivon Williams, and Johnathan Demetrius Green, all from Georgia, along with Dinsimore Guyton Robinson of Alabama, admitted to using online payment systems to collect money from sextortion victims. They then sent the funds to an individual in Nigeria, referred to as "The Plug," according to the Justice Department.
The case involves Jordan DeMay, a 17-year-old from Michigan, who was targeted by Nigerian brothers Samuel and Samson Ogoshi. Posing as a woman on Instagram, they tricked DeMay into sending explicit photos and then blackmailed him for money. The relentless extortion led to DeMay's suicide in March 2022.
The Ogoshi brothers were extradited to the U.S. and sentenced to over 17 years in prison for their involvement in the sextortion scheme, which affected more than 100 victims. Jordan's father, John DeMay, expressed relief that the U.S. government is taking these crimes seriously.
Sextortion is a growing problem where criminals trick minors into sending sexual images or videos and then threaten to expose them unless they pay money. The FBI reports receiving over 13,000 sextortion complaints involving at least 12,600 victims between October 2021 and March 2023. The average age of victims is between 14 and 17 years old.
In DeMay's case, the Ogoshi brothers demanded money after he sent an explicit photo. When DeMay said he would kill himself, they encouraged him to do so. The money was sent to the accounts of the individuals who have now pleaded guilty, who then converted the funds to Bitcoin and sent them to "The Plug" in Nigeria.
Acting U.S. Attorney Birge stated that the Americans who profited from this "awful, heartbreaking scheme" will now face the consequences of their actions. The conspiracy charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
John DeMay has become an advocate, raising awareness about sextortion and supporting legislation to protect children online. He supports the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), which aims to protect minors online. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children offers a free service called "Take it Down" to help victims remove explicit images from the internet.
Americans Plead Guilty in Sextortion Case Linked to Teen's Suicide
Five people from Georgia and Alabama have admitted to their roles in a money laundering scheme connected to a Nigerian sextortion operation. This scheme tragically led to the suicide of a 17-year-old boy from Michigan. The individuals helped transfer money obtained through blackmail to Nigeria. The victims were young men who were coerced into sending explicit images and then extorted for money.