May 2, 2025 – Washington, D.C.
In a sweeping and unprecedented international effort, the FBI announced today the arrest of 22 Nigerian nationals as part of Operation Artemis, a groundbreaking global operation aimed at dismantling a massive online sextortion ring responsible for dozens of teen suicides across the United States.
The operation, described by U.S. officials as the first of its kind, was launched to combat the alarming rise in financially motivated sextortion schemes that have devastated American families—particularly targeting young boys. The arrested suspects are believed to be members of a transnational criminal network that posed as teenage girls on social media platforms to trick, exploit, and extort thousands of U.S. minors.
“This is a global wake-up call,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray in a statement Friday. “These predators destroyed lives, and now, they are being brought to justice.”
Global Manhunt Ends in Coordinated Arrests
The arrests were carried out in Nigeria, with assistance from the country’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Law enforcement agencies from the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and multiple U.S. states coordinated efforts in what authorities say marks a new era of international cooperation in cybercrime enforcement.
The operation was spurred in part by high-profile tragedies, including the suicide of 17-year-old Jordan DeMay of Michigan, who was blackmailed into sending explicit photos to a scammer posing as a girl on Instagram. When he couldn’t meet the escalating demands for money, the scammer threatened to expose him—and hours later, DeMay was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The suspects linked to his death—Samuel and Samson Ogoshi—were previously extradited to the U.S. and sentenced to over 17 years in prison. Today’s arrests represent a much broader sweep across similar networks believed to have exploited thousands of young victims.
A Surge in Sextortion Suicides
The FBI says more than 12,000 minors have reported being targeted by similar sextortion schemes over the past two years, with at least 20 confirmed suicides. Officials warn that the real number of victims may be significantly higher due to underreporting and shame.
According to the FBI, perpetrators used fake profiles—often powered by AI-generated images—to impersonate teenage girls, engage victims in flirtatious chats, then demand money under threat of releasing the explicit images to family and friends.
In some cases, scammers instructed victims to take their own lives if they couldn’t pay. “It ranged from ‘I own you’ to ‘you should kill yourself,’” said Tamia Woods, mother of 17-year-old James Woods, another victim who took his own life after being targeted on Instagram.
‘This Is Just the Beginning’
FBI and U.S. Department of Justice officials say Operation Artemis is far from over. “We are still tracking dozens more suspects. These arrests send a message: If you exploit children, we will find you—no matter where you hide,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco.
The FBI also announced plans to station a cybercrime advisor in Nigeria to train local forces and increase intelligence-sharing aimed at shutting down digital fraud networks at their source.
Help Is Available
Authorities urge parents to speak openly with their children about the risks of online exploitation and to report any suspicious interactions. Victims can file reports at tips.fbi.gov.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or text HOME to 741741.