Four men from Ivory Coast have been arrested in connection with a “sextortion” scam that led to the suicide of a California teenager, Ryan Last, in February 2022. The arrests come three years after the 17-year-old high school senior from San Jose took his own life following an online interaction with someone he believed to be a woman on Facebook. According to the Los Angeles Times, the scammer sent Last a nude photo and demanded one in return. After receiving the photo, the scammer threatened to share it with Last’s family and friends unless he paid $5,000. When Last said he couldn’t pay the full amount, the demand was reduced to $150, which he paid. Despite this, the scammers continued to harass him.
The Department of Justice announced that Alfred Kassi, one of the arrested individuals, still had the extortion messages on his phone at the time of his arrest in April. Kassi, along with Oumarou Ouedraogo, Moussa Diaby, and Oumar Cisse, are accused of being part of an international scheme targeting thousands of victims across the U.S., Canada, and Europe. Due to Ivory Coast’s non-extradition policy, the men will face prosecution under Ivorian cybercrime laws.
Pauline Stuart, Last’s mother, expressed mixed emotions about the arrests, stating, “My son’s still gone, but I’m hoping that, with this arrest, it brings awareness and scares the scammers.” The case highlights the growing threat of sextortion, with the FBI reporting over 13,000 cases involving minors between October 2021 and March 2023.
For those struggling with suicidal thoughts, help is available through the 988 crisis hotline or by texting “HOME” to 741741.
Recent Comments