Four Arrested for Sextortion Crimes Threatening Targets with Dire Consequences Leading to a Minor’s Death 

• The U.S. and the Ivorian law enforcement arrested four individuals for an international sextortion scam
• One among them posed as a woman and threatened a minor to pay money against his images
• The police found messages sent to the suicide victim, who ended up paying $150 to keep his content private

The United States and Ivorian law enforcement arrested four men for their role in criminal activities, including international sextortion schemes, and a minor’s death. The individuals arrested in Côte d’Ivoire targeted individuals in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., France, Spain, and Italy.

An arrested member was Alfred Kassi, who projected himself as a 20-year-old woman. The deceased, Ryan Last, 17, was sextorted online and was sent several messages on his phone in February 2022.

He was forced to pay $150 to conceal the intimate images he had sent to the impersonator. The messages were received as evidence by the law enforcement from the Ivorian citizen Kassi’s device, who was arrested on April 29.

Last, committed suicide hours after suffering sextortion efforts and reading the text messages he had received. Not much has been disclosed about the case by the police yet.

After rigorous investigations, the law enforcement traced aligned money laundering accomplices who helped Kassi with transferring the money he extorted from Ryan Last and others. 

Other arrested accomplices who helped each other in the scam were Oumarou Ouedraogo, Moussa Diaby, and Oumar Cisse. They admitted to their crimes and will be prosecuted under Ivorian cybercrime statutes as the government of Côte d’Ivoire does not extradite its citizens.

The group had another accomplice, Jonathan Kassi, who is not related to Alfred Kassi, and was convicted in 2023 and sentenced to 18 months in jail.

Last's mother has been voicing the story of her son's suicide due to cyber blackmail to create awareness among others.

In a report, the FBI pointed to an increase in sextortion crimes targeting children and teens, where they are threatened with dire consequences if they do not share explicit content or money. More awareness must be created in schools to prevent the loss of life from similar scams.