Four West African Men Arrested in International Sextortion Scheme Linked to Teen Suicide

Four men from Côte d’Ivoire were arrested in connection with an international sextortion scheme that targeted thousands of victims across the U.S., Canada, and Europe, including minors. The investigation was prompted by the 2022 suicide of Ryan Last, a 17-year-old high school senior from San Jose, California, who took his own life after being extorted for money by individuals posing as a young woman online. Alfred Kassi, the ringleader, was found to have the sextortion messages on his phone at the time of his arrest, while his alleged accomplices Moussa Diaby and Oumar Cisse admitted to their roles, and Oumarou Ouedraogo was arrested for money laundering. A U.S.-based accomplice, Jonathan Kassi, was previously convicted and sentenced to prison. Because Côte d’Ivoire does not extradite its citizens, the four men will be prosecuted under the country’s cybercrime laws. The case highlights the dangers of online exploitation and the ongoing efforts by U.S. and Ivorian law enforcement to combat such crimes.