Five Americans Plead Guilty in Sextortion Scheme

Five Americans have pleaded guilty to money laundering in connection with a sextortion scheme orchestrated by Nigerian individuals that resulted in the suicide of Jordan DeMay, a Michigan teenager. The scheme involved posing as a woman online to extort nude images from victims and coercing them into sending money under threat of exposure. The five U.S. defendants, identified as residents from Georgia and Alabama, laundered the proceeds through online payment systems, converting them to Bitcoin before sending them to a Nigerian contact known as 'The Plug.' In addition to the American defendants, two Nigerian brothers involved in the scheme were extradited to the U.S., pleaded guilty, and sentenced to over 17 years in prison. The case, which targeted over 100 individuals, underscores the severe impact of sextortion and the legal consequences for those involved. The sentences for the American defendants will be determined following federal sentencing guidelines.