14th August, 2023
Ezekiel Ejemeh Robert, the third accused in the U.S. sextortion case is still awaiting extradition, the Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes, EFCC, said Monday.
The other two accused Samuel Ogoshi and his brother, Samson were extradited last week to the United States to face prosecution for sexually extorting numerous young men and teenage boys in the Western District of Michigan and across the U.S.
Reports quoting U.S. Attorney Mark Totten said the brothers were arraigned Monday at the federal courthouse in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
They allegedly convinced over 100 teens and young men to send them sexually explicit photos and threatened to expose their victims unless they paid up.
Jennifer Buta said her 17-year-old son, Jordan de May, committed suicide after the suspects blackmailed him. She said the suspects demanded $1,000 from him. Jordan only paid $300.
One of Ogoshi brothers is charged with sexual exploitation and attempted exploitation of a minor resulting in death, which could carry a life sentence if convicted.
Both men are also charged with conspiracy to sexually exploit minors, conspiracy to distribute child pornography and conspiracy to commit stalking.
The EFCC in May, 2023, initiated the extradition proceedings at the Federal High Court, Abuja Judicial Division, against the Ogoshis and Ejemeh Robert over exploitation of minors and production of pornography, following a request by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI.
The Ogoshis and Ezekiel were indicted in a United States Federal Court on December 1, 2022 on charges of exploitation of minors, resulting in death, conspiracy to sexually exploit minors by causing the minors to produce child pornographic images that the defendants now use to blackmail them.
They are further charged with conspiracy to distribute child pornography, which borders on sending images to minors, their families and friends, as well as conspiracy to commit stalking through the Internet.
The offences carry a minimum of five years and maximum 20 years imprisonment.
Specifically, Samuel was charged with causing the death of 17-year-old Jordan De May of Marquette, Michigan, who died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in March 2022.
According to investigations, the suspects conspired to conduct a sex-based extortion of minors and adults in the United States of America.
The trio allegedly hacked some social media accounts, posing to be young attractive women to entice unsuspecting victims to send their sexually explicit photographs.
These pictures were then used to blackmail the victims, thereby forcing them into making huge financial payments.
While the Ogoshis were arrested sometime in February, 2023 around the Ojo axis of Lagos, Ezekiel was picked up in Nasarawa by operatives of the EFCC.