Nigeria: US court sentences Nigerian brothers to 18 years in prison for sextortion

The US Attorney for the Western District of Michigan, Mark Totten, has sentenced the Nigerian brothers Samuel Ogoshi (24) and Samson Ogoshi (21) to 210 months in prison, followed by 5 years of probation, for the crime of conspiracy to sexually exploit minors.

On March 25, 2022, 17-year-old high school student Jordan DeMay of Marquette, Michigan, died as a result of this sextortion scheme, which also claimed over 100 other victims.

“Today's sentencing of Samuel and Samson Ogoshi sends a thunderous message,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “To the criminals who commit these schemes, you are not immune from justice. We will track you down and bring you to justice, even if it means traveling halfway around the world. The days of committing these crimes, making a quick buck, destroying lives, and evading justice are over.” Totten continued, “And to parents, teenagers, and anyone who uses a cell phone, please, please be careful. These devices can connect you to criminal networks around the world. Don't assume people are who they say they are. Don't share compromising images. And if you are a victim, please come forward. Help is available and law enforcement is ready.

“These defendants sexually exploited and extorted more than 100 victims, including at least 11 minors, resulting in the tragic death of a 17-year-old high school student,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “These verdicts should serve as a warning that perpetrators of online sexual exploitation and extortion cannot evade responsibility for their heinous crimes by hiding behind their phones and computers. The Department of Justice will find them, no matter where they are, and we will bring them to justice in the United States.”

As detailed in their confessions, while in Nigeria, Samuel and Samson Ogoshi participated in a scheme to sexually exploit more than 100 victims, including at least 11 identified minors. They purchased hacked social media accounts and used them to pose as young women, created fake profiles, and used the messaging feature of the social media accounts to contact victims.

They researched their victims online to find out where they lived, went to school, worked, and who their family and friends were. They then asked their underage victims to produce sexually explicit images of themselves. After receiving the images, they created a collage of images that included the sexually explicit image with other images of the victim and their school, family, and friends. The Ogoshi brothers threatened to show the collages to the victim's family, friends, and classmates if the victim did not agree to pay money through online cash applications.