FBI arrests 22 Nigerians for sextortion scheme linked to teen suicides

The arrests were made as part of a ground-breaking international investigation known as Artemis, which was conducted in collaboration with law enforcement organizations from Canada, Australia, Nigeria, and the United Kingdom, the agency said in a statement taken from its website.

Following thousands of accusations of teenage boys being forced to post sexually explicit images online and then threatened with exposure unless they paid, the FBI said it started Operation Artemis almost two years ago.

"FBI investigations resulted in the arrest of 22 Nigerian subjects as a result of Operation Artemis, with at least one arrest connected to an American victim who committed suicide," the FBI stated.

It clarified that sextortion schemes entail someone acting as young ladies befriending kids online, usually boys, and convincing them to exchange nude images.

According to the report, "after the victims comply, they are asked to send money to stop the images from being shared."

Investigators pointed out that demands often persist and threats escalate even after victims have paid.

The FBI claims that after analyzing the victims' phones and social media profiles, it discovered tragic stories of young children going through frantic discussions to protect their privacy.

In Lagos State, FBI Special Agent Matthew Crowley conducted interviews with suspects to learn why they chose sextortion over other financial frauds like romance fraud or corporate email compromise.

"It's easy money," one participant remarked. If I don't gain any traction, I can simply go on to the next one," Crowley said.

"They could target 40 victims in a day, working multiple at a time, so it makes sense why they would go that route," she continued. And perhaps three of those forty are paid. However, three people paying $200 equals $600.

She used the example of an American father whose 16-year-old son committed suicide in 2023 after being the target of sextortion threats to illustrate the terrible effects of these schemes.