Two brothers from Nigeria, Samuel and Samson Ogoshi, have been sentenced to 17 years and six months in prison in the U.S. for their involvement in a sextortion scam that targeted 17-year-old Jordan DeMay. The brothers lured Jordan into sending explicit images by impersonating a girl his age on Instagram and subsequently blackmailed him for money.
Tragically, Jordan took his own life less than six hours after the interaction began. This case marks the first successful prosecution of Nigerian individuals for sextortion in the U.S., a cybercrime that is increasingly prevalent and often traced back to Nigeria.
In court, Jordan’s mother, Jenn Buta, expressed her heartbreak, holding photos of her son and stating, “I am shattered to my core.” She acknowledged the conclusion of the trial but noted that there was no truly positive outcome from the devastating situation.
The Ogoshi brothers, ages 24 and 21, initially befriended Jordan on Instagram, leading him to send explicit images before extorting him for hundreds of dollars. Despite his pleas, including a warning that he would take his own life if they shared the images, the brothers responded callously, stating, “Good… Do that fast – or I’ll make you do it.”
Jordan’s father, John DeMay, recounted the horror of discovering his son’s body and shared how the family was forced to relocate to escape the memories of the tragedy.
In total, 38 other U.S. victims were identified as targets of the brothers’ scheme, including 13 minors. Both brothers, who were extradited from Lagos last summer, pleaded guilty in April to conspiring to sexually exploit minors. Their defense attorneys attributed their actions to drug abuse and the pervasive sextortion culture in Nigeria.
The judge condemned their actions, citing a “callous disregard for life,” especially since they continued their criminal activities even after Jordan’s death. During the hearing, both brothers offered apologies to Jordan’s family, with Samson Ogoshi stating, “We made a bad decision to make money and I wish I could change that.”