Two Nigerian brothers who targeted a 17-year-old boy in a sextortion scam have been sentenced to 17 years and six months in prison in the United States.
The Ogoshi brothers, from Lagos, lured Jordan DeMay into sending them explicit images by posing as a girl his age, then blackmailed him.
Tragically, Jordan took his own life less than six hours after the initial contact on Instagram.
This case marks the first successful prosecution of Nigerians for sextortion in the US, a rapidly growing cybercrime often linked to the country.
Jordan’s mother, Jenn Buta, delivered a heartbreaking victim impact statement in court, expressing her deep sorrow and devastation.
Samuel Ogoshi, 24, and Samson Ogoshi, 21, befriended Jordan on Instagram, pretending to be a girl his age.
After obtaining explicit images from the teenager, they extorted him for hundreds of dollars, threatening to share the images online. Despite Jordan’s pleas and warnings of self-harm, the brothers persisted.
John DeMay, Jordan’s father, recounted the horrific experience of finding his son dead in his bedroom. The family was forced to move to escape the painful memories.
The brothers pleaded guilty in April to conspiring to sexually exploit teenage boys in Michigan and across the US.
Thirty-eight other US victims were identified as being targeted by the men, including 13 minors.
The brothers’ defense attorneys attributed their crimes to drug abuse and the prevalence of sextortion scams in Nigeria.
However, the judge emphasized the callous disregard for life displayed by the brothers, especially their continued targeting of victims even after learning of Jordan’s death.
Both brothers apologized to Jordan’s family, expressing regret for their actions. US police successfully tracked the criminals to Lagos last summer and extradited them for trial.
Another Nigerian man linked to Jordan’s death and other cases is currently fighting extradition.
Jordan’s mother praised the police for their efforts in tracking down the sextortionists but acknowledged the mixed emotions she felt about their imprisonment.
Researchers and law enforcement agencies have identified Nigeria as a hotspot for sextortion crimes.
In recent months, several cases involving Nigerian individuals have come to light, including the suicides of teenagers in Australia, the US, and Canada.
Nigerian authorities are working with international law enforcement agencies to address the issue.
Cyber-security experts emphasize the need to raise awareness about the dangers of sextortion and the importance of prevention measures.
