Three Nigerian men charged in Michigan sextortion plot that led to teen Jordan DeMay’s death
Three Nigerian men took part in a sextortion plot involving 17-year-old star athlete Jordan DeMay that led to the Michigan teen’s 2022 suicide.
According to federal prosecutors the scammers posed as a teenage girl on Instagram and convinced DeMay to send them sexually suggestive photos. They then gathered information about him and promised to release the photos to his friends and family unless he paid them $1,000.
Hours after the threat was made, DeMay, a student at Marquette Senior High School, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Samuel Ogoshi, 22, Samson Ogoshi, 20, and Ezekiel Ejehem Robert, 19, all of Lagos, Nigeria, were charged this week in connection with DeMay’s death. The tragedy sparked a major investigation involving Michigan authorities and the FBI.
“All you have to do is cooperate with me and I will not expose you,” Ogoshi wrote to DeMay, the FBI say. Despite paying over $300, the threats continued.
Jordan DeMay, a star basketball player and soccer player, pictured with his mother Jennifer Buta
The trio accessed the hacked Instagram account of a woman named Dani.Roberts and used it to contact DeMay.
‘I’m kms rn [kill myself right now]. Yours,” DeMay replied in one of the messages.
‘Good. Do that quickly. Or I will force you to do it. I swear to God,” was the reply.
For his alleged direct role in contacting DeMay, Ogoshi faces charges of sexual exploitation and attempted sexual exploitation of a minor resulting in death.
If found guilty, he could face life in prison.
All three are charged with conspiracy to sexually exploit minors, conspiracy to distribute child pornography and conspiracy to commit Internet stalking.
These offenses carry penalties of up to 30 years in prison.
In a statement following the indictment, DeMay’s mother, Jennifer Buta, said, “As parents, we cannot imagine what Jordan went through that night and how scared he was because of this senseless act.”
U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan, Mark Totten, said more than 100 young men across the country had been targeted by the Nigerian gang.
Prosecutors say DeMay tried to pay his blackmailers $300, but they were dissatisfied and demanded $1,000
Totten said the three men are being extradited from Nigeria with the cooperation of local authorities. The investigation is continuing, the prosecutor said.
a GoFundMe page was set up to help support the DeMay family. At the time of writing, the page has raised almost $25,000.
“They told him they had all of his Facebook contacts, and more from other social media, as well as his nude photo,” Marquette County Sheriff Greg Zyburt told me. The sun March 2022.
“Then they said they would send the picture. Jordan said he couldn’t pay them any more money.
“He said you were going to win and he was going to kill himself, and they said go for it,” Sheriff Zyburt added.
DeMay committed suicide shortly after the message was sent on March 25.
Zyburt, speaking of how the tragic suicide occurred just six hours after the blackmailers first contacted DeMay, said, “The Twitter profile showed a beautiful picture of a girl.
“Soon she sent Jordan a nude photo, then he sent her back a compromising photo, then the conversation quickly changed, it became a situation of blackmail.”
Zyburt said they initially treated DeMay’s death as a “teenage suicide,” but they soon changed their focus after one of the teen’s friends told police the blackmailers had also contacted her demanding money.
She told them he killed himself. They said GOOD, then she hung up and called the police,” Zyburt said.
After DeMay’s tragic death, the FBI warned parents and caregivers about increasing cases of sextortion among young children and teens.
In a statement following the indictment announcement, DeMay’s mother, Jennifer Buta, said, “As parents, we cannot imagine what Jordan went through that night and how scared he was because of this senseless act.”
The Marquette Senior High school where DeMay was a student paid tribute by writing “We love you Jordan” on the site
“Sexuality begins when an adult contacts a minor through an online platform used to meet and communicate, such as a game, app, or social media account,” the FBI said.
In a scheme that has become more common in recent times, the predator (who poses as a young girl) uses deceit and manipulation to convince a young man, usually between the ages of 14 and 17, to get involved with explicit activities via video, which is then secretly recorded. by the predator.’
“The predator then reveals they made the recordings and attempts to extort money from the victim to avoid posting them online.”
An obituary dedicated to the teen describes DeMay as someone who loved athletics and sports, including baseball, football and basketball.
Jordan was a compassionate, mature and team-oriented player who once described his goal as “to be the best I can be as a person on and off the field,” the obituary read.
“He was a determined young man, who, after being sidelined for a year with a serious knee injury, decided to rehabilitate himself and made plans to go to university.”
The teenager, who leaves behind four sisters, his parents and his grandparents, planned to study athletic training at university.
“Jordan possessed a great personality, loved and was deeply devoted to his family, especially his sisters who simply adored him,” the obituary read.
“He loved going to the beach, being in, on or near the water, and was so talented that he did well at many of the things he tried. He will be remembered for his great smile, frizzy hair, great personality and ability to inspire others.”
For confidential help, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or click here.