Two Nigerian Men Extradited In ‘Sextortion’ Case Linked To Michigan Teen’s Suicide

Two Nigerian men have been extradited to the United States in a rare move, being relocated over the weekend after getting charged in a sexual extortion scheme that officials say prompted the suicide of a 17-year-old Michigan teen last year.

Brothers from Lagos, 22-year-old Samuel Ogoshi and 20-year-old Samson Ogoshi flew Sunday to the U.S. and were in federal court Monday afternoon in Grand Rapids, according to the Justice Department.

In a four-count indictment, the Ogoshis are charged with the sexual exploitation of minors and with causing the death of high school student Jordan DeMay. The 17-year-old was found dead in March 2022 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after the Ogoshi brothers allegedly tricked him into sending them explicit photos of himself, just to use them against him in an attempt to get money — including threats to share them with his family and friends.

Samuel faces a 30-year prison sentence at minimum if convicted, while Samson faces five years at minimum.

Last year, the FBI issued a public safety alert to warn about thousands of teens, in particular young males, being targets in “sextortion” schemes, most of which originate outside the United States. Being identified for a while now as a hub for cybercriminals who prey on American citizens is West Africa, however, U.S. officials have historically had a hard time in getting law enforcement cooperation in those nations to make arrests. (RELATED: 16-Year-Old Cheerleader Dies After Suffering Sudden Cardiac Arrest)

FBI agents in Michigan earlier this year traveled to Nigeria “to conduct a cooperative investigation with Nigerian law enforcement officials,” according to the Justice Department. U.S. officials prepared a request for provisional arrest, with an aim towards extradition, of both the Ogoshi brothers and a third defendant named Ezekiel Robert. Robert’s extradition is currently pending.