Two Men Face Federal Charges in Michigan Sextortion Case

Nearly a year and a half after the death of 17-year-old Jordan DeMay, two men are facing federal charges for their roles in the sextortion case that caused the teen to take his own life.

The two men from Nigeria, Samuel Ogoshi and Samson Ogoshi, appeared in court last week, facing charges in DeMay's death last March. Prosecutors say the men's actions directly caused DeMay to shoot himself in his Upper Peninsula home mere hours after the men carried out their scheme.

What is Sextortion?

The term 'Sextortion' is typically defined as persuading victims to send sexually explicit photos online, often to someone posing as someone else. The perpetrators then threaten to release the photos online if their demands are not met.

In the early morning hours of March 25, 2022, Jordan DeMay was persuaded to send explicit photos of himself to someone posing as a female. He was then threatened and put under extreme pressure to pay large sums of money not to have the photos released to his friends, family, and Instagram followers.

At first, DeMay complied with the men's demands, sending them an undisclosed amount of money. But more demands for money followed, leaving DeMay feeling like there was no way out.

Prosecution is Rare

After the men were tracked down in Nigeria, officials had them extradited to Michigan, where their trial began last week.

Mark Totten is the United State Attorney prosecuting the case in Grand Rapids. He says that prosecuting perpetrators from outside the United States is an uphill climb.

“Make no mistake: Charges of this type brought against subjects outside of the United States are rare,” Totten said. “Securing extradition of these subjects is even more rare.”

According to WDIV-TV, officials say three other people are facing charges in Nigeria for sexually exploiting teens and other young men, including DeMay.

Parents Pushing for Change

Earlier this year, Jordan's parents John DeMay and Jennifer Buta told the TV station that they stand behind the 'Kids Online Safety Act,' legislation that is being introduced to help hold social media companies responsible for scams that target young people.

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