Sextortion ring operated on Instagram
The alleged scammers purchased a hacked Instagram account under the handle “dani.robertts” and were posing as a teenage girl. They chatted with DeMay and encouraged him to send explicit photos, which they later used to blackmail him for money.
According to the indictment, the trio targeted more than 100 victims. They hit both minors and adults, in their global sextortion operation.
This type of crime is on the rise, and perpetrators often pretend to be someone else to encourage victims to send sexual messages or photos that can be used for blackmail purposes. In the past, the scam has also been used to obtain explicit photos to sell on the dark web.
In DeMay’s case, the alleged scammers threatened to send the photos to his family and friends if he did not send them money. After DeMay paid $300, Ogoshi continued to threaten him.
In response to a message from DeMay saying he was “kms rn (kill myself right now)],” Ogoshi allegedly responded, “Good. Do that fast. Or I’ll make you do it. I swear to God.”
