Three Nigerian men who allegedly victimized a 17-year-old American boy by sexual extortion, causing the teen to take his life, have been arrested and prepared for extradition to the US.
Intel about the suspects was released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), who arrested them. The information was discovered after FBI agents from Michigan travelled to Nigeria for a co-operative investigation with Nigerian law enforcement officials.
The EFCC, thus, found and nabbed Samuel Ogoshi, Samson Ogoshi and Ezekiel Robert. They are now awaiting extradition for sextortion and resultant death of the American teen, Jordan DeMay.
U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten announced on Wednesday, 3rd May, the unsealing of a federal indictment charging three Nigerian men.
According to reports, the suspects were charged for sexually exploiting several young men and teenage boys in the Western District of Michigan and across the US. However, one of the trio is being charged with causing the death of Jordan DeMay, of Marquette, Michigan.
Their extradition to a Western District of Michigan court in the US to will see their prosecution. The period of their extradition and date for their appearance in court, however, is still unknown, as revealed by Totten.
He said, “Sextortion is a horrible crime that can leave especially younger victims feeling ashamed with nowhere to turn.
“My heart goes out to the family of Jordan DeMay. Nothing can bring Jordan back, but my office is committed to securing justice and, alongside Jordan’s family, sending an urgent warning so others can protect themselves and their families. We will travel the world to hold the perpetrators of these crimes accountable.”
The US attorney also thanked the EFCC for their co-operation in capturing the criminals.
On 25th March, 2022, 17-year-old DeMay was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. His death prompted an investigation by the Marquette County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI, leading to the indictment disclosed on Wednesday.
The defendants, Samuel Ogoshi, 22, Samson Ogoshi, 20, and Ezekiel Ejehem Robert, 19, all of Lagos, Nigeria, are charged in a four-count indictment:
Count 1 charges Samuel Ogoshi with Sexual Exploitation and Attempted Sexual Exploitation of a Minor Resulting in Death in association with the death of Jordan DeMay. The charge carries a maximum penalty of life in prison and a statutory mandatory minimum of 30 years in prison.
Count 2 charges all three men with Conspiracy to Sexually Exploit Minors by causing the minors to produce child pornographic images that the defendants then used to blackmail the minors. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison.
Count 3 charges all three men with Conspiracy to Distribute Child Pornography for sending the child pornography images to the minors, as well as their families and friends. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years in prison.
Count 4 charges Conspiracy to Commit Stalking Through the Internet for engaging in this sextortion scheme as it relates to both minors and young adults. The charge has a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison.
All charges have provisions for fines, payment for damages, and supervised release after their time in prison.
The Special Agent overseeing the FBI in Michigan, James A. Tarasca, said, “Financial sextortion is a global crisis that impacts teens in our country and around the globe.
“That’s why the FBI is working hand in hand with our domestic and international law enforcement partners to prevent youth from becoming victims of this tragic crime and to hold those who target our teens in this manner accountable – no matter where in the world they may be.”
At the press conference on Wednesday, the deceased teen’s family said, “Our family has forever been changed by this heinous crime and our objective is to prevent another individual from being victimized. Kids, teenagers, young adults and even adults can be a target of sextortion.
“We urge you to have discussions about this and have a plan for your children to reach out if it does happen to them.”
The grand jury alleges that on March 25, 2022, after DeMay was persuaded to send a naked picture of himself, Samuel Ogoshi used the dani.robertts account to extort him. The text conversation between DeMay and Samuel Ogoshi, leading to DeMay’s death, has been released.
