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Nigerian Brothers Get 17-Yr Jail Term In US For Sextortion Of Teenager Who Died By Suicide

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A US court has sentenced Samuel Ogoshi, 24, and Samson Ogoshi, 21, to 17 years and six months in prison for a sextortion scam targeting a 17-year-old.

According to prosecutors, the brothers sent Jordan DeMay a friend request on Instagram, pretending to be a girl his age, and flirted with him.

They then lured DeMay into sending them explicit images and threatened to broadcast the pictures to his friends if he did not send them money.

The victim sent as much money as he could and pleaded with the scammers, threatening to kill himself if they spread the images.

“Good… Do that fast, or I’ll make you do it,” the brothers replied.

The 17-year-old schoolboy killed himself less than six hours after they started talking on Instagram.

John DeMay, the deceased’s father, told Marquette federal court in Michigan that he still has nightmares after finding his son dead in his bedroom.

He said the family moved out of the house to escape the memory.

The brothers were extradited to the US in August last year to face prosecution over numerous cases of sexual extortion of young men and teenage boys on social media linked to them.

They pleaded guilty in April to conspiring to exploit teenage boys in Michigan and across the US sexually.

In a statement on Thursday, Merrick Garland, attorney general, said over 100 victims, including at least eleven minors, fell to the brothers’ scam.

“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.”

At the sentencing, both brothers apologised to DeMay’s family.

“I’m sorry to the family. We made a bad decision to make money, and I wish I could change that,” Samson said.

Their defence attorneys said the brothers’ crimes were fuelled by drug abuse and the sextortion scam culture in Nigeria.

The judge said the crimes showed a “callous disregard for life,” especially as they continued targeting other victims even after learning that DeMay died.

It is the first successful prosecution of Nigerians for sextortion in the US, where it is a rapidly growing cybercrime, often linked to Nigeria.

In July, Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram, said it had removed 63,000 accounts in Nigeria linked to sextortion scams.

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BREAKING: Oyo Governor Approves Appointment Of Canadian-Based Businessman Prince Abimbola As New Alaafin

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After a two-year dispute over the vacant Alaafin of Oyo stool, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has approved the appointment of Abimbola Owoade, a young Canadian-based businessman, as the new monarch of the kingdom.

 

More to come…

 

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Dismissed Kano SSG Abdullahi Bichi Threatens To Expose Government, Political Figures

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The recently dismissed Secretary to the Kano State Government, Abdullahi Bichi, has threatened to reveal what he described as “explosive evidence” against political figures, accusing them of deceit and betrayal.

Bichi, who was removed from office in December 2024, made the declaration upon his return from Saudi Arabia.

In a viral video shared on Thursday, he addressed his supporters and accused the leaders of betrayal and deceit, saying, “I’m happy I left the office in peace, but let me be clear: this is not the best time to talk. At the right time, we will expose them.”

“I have documents, videos, and voice notes that will show everyone who they really are,” Bichi added.

The former SSG’s strained relationship with Governor Abba Yusuf and his mentor, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, became evident after his suspension from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) on October 14, 2024. Bichi described the leaders as “masters of betrayal,” claiming his evidence would expose their true nature.

Political observers and residents of Kano are speculating on whether Bichi will follow through with his threats, and how it may impact the political landscape in the region.

Bichi was accused of attempting to sever Yusuf’s ties with Kwankwaso’s political influence. He was subsequently suspended from the party alongside then-Transportation Commissioner, Muhammad Diggol.

The State NNPP Chairman, Hashimu Dungurawa, stated that the suspension followed multiple complaints from party leadership at the ward and local government levels.

Dungurawa emphasized that the actions of the suspended officials undermined the party’s leadership and structure.

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DSS Arrests Blogger For Cloning Its Website, Posting Fake Recruitment Notice

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Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested the man responsible for cloning its website and posting a false recruitment notice.

It was gathered that 32-year-old Sylvester Victor Augustus, a native of Abak Local Government Area in Akwa-Ibom State, was apprehended on Thursday at his residence on Akpan Eno Lane in Abak, Abak LGA.

Augustus, who claimed to be a graduate of the University of Uyo (UNIUYO) and worked as a blogger and content creator, had created a fake online recruitment notice on the cloned DSS website, likely intending to defraud unsuspecting members of the public.

The DSS has labeled the notice “fake” and urged the public to avoid falling victim to such fraudulent schemes. Augustus is expected to be arraigned in court soon.

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