Three Nigerian men have been charged in an alleged sextortion scheme that ended with a Michigan teen committing suicide.
On March 25, 2022, 17-year-old Jordan DeMay was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Investigators believe that the teen committed suicide after being the victim of a sextortion scheme by three Nigerian men.
DeMay – a senior student and football player at Marquette High School in Michigan – was allegedly contacted by an Instagram account that appeared to be a teenage girl. The alleged teen girl engaged DeMay in sexual conversations, according to court documents. The alleged teen girl reportedly requested sexually explicit images from the victim.
Once the alleged teen girl account received the sexual images, the real owners of the account purportedly exposed themselves.
The fake account was allegedly run by three Nigerian men who attempted to extort more than 100 people.
The Nigerians would allegedly blackmail their victims, threatening to expose the graphic images to the public if a ransom was not paid.
The Nigerians demanded that DeMay pay them $1,000 to not reveal the explicit photos, according to court docs. DeMay allegedly paid the exploiters $300, but they still threatened to release the private photos, even presenting the option of sending them to his family and employees.
WLUC-TV reported on the tragic final conversation between the teen and the Nigerian men extorting him.
DeMay told the men, “I’m going to kill myself right now,” adding that it was caused by the abuse he suffered from the sextortion scheme.
The Nigerian men reportedly told DeMay, “Good,” and then said, “Do it fast.”
The Nigerian men demanded that DeMay pay them $800, threatening, “Deal or no deal.”
DeMay allegedly said that he only had $150, and the extorters said, “Now goodbye. Enjoy your miserable life.”
After DeMay committed suicide, the sextortion scheme was revealed to authorities.
Earlier this year, FBI agents from Michigan traveled to Nigeria to conduct an investigation into the allegations of extortion. With cooperation with Nigerian law enforcement, three Nigerian men were arrested.
Samuel Ogoshi, 22, Samson Ogoshi, 20, and Ezekiel Ejehem Robert, 19, all of Lagos, Nigeria, were arrested and are awaiting extradition to the United States for prosecution. All three men have been charged with conspiracy to sexually exploit minors, conspiracy to distribute child pornography, and conspiracy to commit stalking through the internet.
Ogoshi is reportedly charged with sexual exploitation and attempted sexual exploitation of a minor resulting in death. The charge carries a maximum penalty of life in prison and a minimum of 30 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Mark Totten 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.”
James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan, added, “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.”
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