2 Nigerians plead guilty in sextortion plot tied to Michigan teen's death

Two Nigerian men have pleaded guilty in connection with a "sextortion" scheme that exploited teens in Michigan and other U.S. states, federal officials announced Wednesday.

Plea agreements for Samuel Ogoshi, 22, and Samson Ogoshi, 20, of Lagos, Nigeria, were filed this month in U.S. District for the Western District of Michigan.

They face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison for conspiracy to sexually exploit minors, officials said in a statement. The maximum is 30 years.

“Today’s guilty pleas represent an extraordinary success in the prosecution of international sextortion,” said U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten in the release Wednesday.

“These convictions will send a message to criminals in Nigeria and every corner of the globe: working with our partners both here and overseas, we can find you and we can bring you to justice.”

The brothers were extradited to the U.S. last year after a grand jury indicted them in 2022.

Authorities alleged they and a third Nigerian, Ezekiel Ejehem Robert, bought hacked social media accounts and used them to pose as young women to lure teens and young men into sexual chats.

The victims were coerced to produce and send sexually explicit images of themselves then threatened with exposure to loved ones if they didn't pay, according to the indictment.

“Financial sextortion is a rising and very serious threat targeting our minors nationwide and this case shook the very core of our Michigan community,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan, in a statement Wednesday.

Officials said Samuel Ogoshi directly communicated with 17-year-old Jordan DeMay of Marquette in early 2022 using a fake Instagram account with the username "@dani.robertts" that tricked him into sending a nude picture then demanded money.

According to the plea agreement, Samson Ogoshi took over communications with the teen, who eventually sent $300.

Robert allegedly told DeMay to kill himself after the teen threatened to, according to the filing. The same day, The youth was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, authorities said.

“I hope these guilty pleas also bring a small measure of relief to the family of Jordan DeMay, who died as a result of this crime," Totten said Wednesday. "Of course, the job is not done. The Ogoshi brothers await sentencing later this year, and we are still pursuing the extradition of the third defendant, Ezekiel Robert.”

On March 21, a Nigerian court ordered Robert to be extradited to the United States. He has appealed that decision and the matter is before the Nigerian High Court, federal officials said Wednesday.