A new documentary has brought renewed international attention to online sextortion after foreign investigators travelled to Nigeria to uncover an alleged cybercrime network accused of targeting teenage boys through online blackmail schemes linked to dozens of suicides.
The investigation, produced by identity verification and anti-fraud technology company Sumsub, follows former United States prosecutor Erin and cybersecurity researcher Paul as they trace suspected online scammers believed to be operating from Nigeria.
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According to the documentary, more than 60 teenage boys have died by suicide after falling victim to sextortion scams in which criminals allegedly threaten to release sexually explicit images unless victims make immediate payments.
“We came all the way to Nigeria to find the people who blackmail teenagers,” Erin said in the documentary.
“We thought we’d find monsters. We were wrong. And that’s the part we still can’t shake.”
The documentary shows how investigators created a fake social media profile posing as a teenage boy.
Within a day, the account reportedly attracted multiple suspicious contacts before an individual using a Nigerian telephone number allegedly attempted to extort money through threats.
Investigators said the suspected scammer demanded payment through Apple gift cards, Steam gift cards and later Bitcoin, warning that explicit images would be shared publicly if payment was not made.
“If I count to 10 and you don’t make the deal, then it’s going viral,” the alleged scammer was quoted as saying.
To identify those behind the accounts, the team worked with scam-baiting YouTuber Kitboga, who helped deploy Bitcoin tracking technology designed to encourage suspects to reveal their identities and internet locations.
The investigators said the operation enabled them to obtain facial images and trace online activity to Lagos, although they were initially unable to determine the suspect’s exact location.
The documentary also explores allegations surrounding “Yahoo Plus”, a controversial practice in which some internet fraudsters are said to seek ritual or spiritual assistance in an attempt to improve the success of their scams.
During their visit to Lagos, Erin and Paul claimed they witnessed what they described as a ritual ceremony involving animal sacrifice for an individual allegedly engaged in online fraud.
The documentary alleges that stolen photographs of an adult entertainer were being used to impersonate a woman online to deceive victims.
Despite documenting those allegations, Erin said the experience challenged some of her assumptions about Nigeria.
“The Nigerians I’ve come across, they are helpful, they’re thoughtful, but they seem to be quite okay with stealing our money. It’s something I’ll continue to wrestle with,” she said.
The investigators also interviewed criminologist Professor Adedeji Oyenuga, who argued that internet fraud in Nigeria is often driven more by social inequality and the desire for wealth than by absolute poverty.
“They don’t do this because they’re poor,” Oyenuga said.
“They do this because when they look around them and see other people with money or fancy cars, they want that too.”
The professor added that scams commonly referred to as “BM”, meaning blackmail, initially targeted older adults through romance fraud before shifting towards teenagers in late 2023 because younger victims were believed to make quicker payments.
Through contacts arranged during the investigation, the documentary also features interviews with several young men who admitted participating in internet fraud.
One individual acknowledged previously using fake female profiles and impersonating adult entertainers to deceive victims, while another said Instagram and Snapchat were preferred platforms because they made it easier to contact younger users.
When asked whether they were aware that teenagers had died after being blackmailed, one participant replied: “We’ve heard about it. I think that was maybe one of the reasons why we stopped.”
The investigators, however, said they believed the participants downplayed the extent of their activities.
As the investigation progressed, cybersecurity expert Gary Warner reportedly helped trace phone numbers linked to the alleged operation to bank accounts and suspected identities.
Armed with the information, the team travelled to what they believed was the suspect’s hometown and later confronted the alleged scammer by telephone.
“I am a former prosecutor. I met with the EFCC. I met with the Ministry of Justice. I know everything about you,” Erin told the individual during the recorded conversation.
“What I need you to know is that the work you are doing is killing teenage boys. We’ve had 60 suicides that we know about from the bad work that you do.”
The documentary states that all evidence gathered during the investigation was submitted to Nigerian authorities, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Federal Ministry of Justice.
However, Erin disclosed that no arrests had been made by the time the documentary was released.
The investigation concludes by arguing that while law enforcement remains important, technology companies also have a crucial role in preventing sextortion by improving safeguards on social media platforms, messaging services and digital payment systems before vulnerable users become victims.
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The documentary presents a complex picture of Nigeria’s cybercrime landscape, distinguishing between the country’s broader population and individuals allegedly involved in organised online fraud, while urging stronger international cooperation to combat the growing threat of sextortion.
See video below:
Mariam Balogun is a contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, business, and public affairs.
