Samuel Ogoshi, 22, and Samson Ogoshi, 20, both hailing from Lagos, Nigeria, have been successfully extradited to the United States after being indicted in May 2023 for their involvement in an international sexual extortion operation. The duo is accused of sexually exploiting numerous young men and teenage boys across the United States, particularly in the Western District of Michigan. In addition to these charges, Samuel Ogoshi faces an allegation of causing the death of 17-year-old Jordan DeMay, from Marquette, Michigan, who tragically died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in March 2022.
U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan, Mark Totten, emphasized the gravity of the crime, pledging to pursue those responsible globally and stand ready to support the victims. Expressing satisfaction with the swift extradition process, Totten commended the FBI and Nigerian law enforcement for their dedicated work in ensuring justice in this cross-border sexual exploitation case.
Devin J. Kowalski, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan, highlighted the global concern of financial sextortion and affirmed the FBI’s commitment to collaborate with domestic and international partners to prevent young individuals from becoming victims of this distressing crime.
The Ogoshi brothers were arrested in Nigeria by Nigerian authorities in January 2023, following a request from the United States. Their extradition proceedings were managed by Nigerian prosecutors, with the final surrender order authorized by the Solicitor-General of the Nigerian Federation, B.E. Jedy Agba, on August 3. It’s anticipated that the defendants will make their initial appearance at the federal courthouse in Grand Rapids soon.
Charges against Samuel Ogoshi and Samson Ogoshi include counts related to sexual exploitation, conspiracy to sexually exploit minors, conspiracy to distribute child pornography, and conspiracy to commit stalking through the internet. The indictment alleges that the defendants posed as young women on hacked social media accounts to engage their victims in sexual chats. They allegedly coerced victims into producing explicit images, which they then used to blackmail them into paying money to prevent the dissemination of these images.
The extradition of a third defendant, Ezekial Ejehem Robert, is still pending.
The FBI worked closely with Nigerian law enforcement officials, and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of State, facilitated the extradition process. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of Nigeria played a crucial role in apprehending the defendants.
This case falls under Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative aimed at safeguarding children from online exploitation and abuse. Law enforcement agencies are collaborating to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals involved in child exploitation.
The charges against the defendants are accusations, and they are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Source: Peoples Gazette
