
Two Nigerian brothers, Samuel Ogoshi, 24, and Samson Ogoshi, 21, have been sentenced to 18 years in federal prison each for their involvement in the sextortion of a 17-year-old high school student, Jordan DeMay, from Marquette, Michigan.
The sentencing, handed down by a United States (US) court, includes five years of supervised release, as the brothers were also convicted of conspiracy to sexually exploit minors.
The US Justice Department disclosed this in a press release, noting that the Ogoshi brothers extorted over 100 individuals, including at least 11 minors, using online manipulation.
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Their crimes led to the tragic death of DeMay on March 25, 2022, after he fell victim to the sextortion scheme.
US Attorney General, Merrick B. Garland stressed that the sentences serve as a warning to those involved in similar criminal activities.
“These sentences should serve as a warning that the perpetrators of online sexual exploitation and extortion cannot escape accountability for their heinous crimes by hiding behind their phones and computers,” Garland said.
“The Justice Department will find them, no matter where they are, and we will bring them to justice in the United States,” he added.
Mark Totten, US Attorney for the Western District of Michigan, further highlighted the dangers of online communication.
“The sentencing of sextortionists Samuel and Samson Ogoshi ensures that both international criminals will no longer victimize minors in the United States or throughout the world,” he remarked, while encouraging the public to exercise caution when using phones and communication devices.
The Ogoshi brothers were arrested and extradited from Nigeria to the US in August 2023 and pleaded guilty to the charges in April.
Along with another Nigerian, Ezekiel Robert, they had been charged in November 2022 for their role in the sextortion scheme that targeted DeMay and over 100 others.