Nigerian man extradited to US for alleged sextortion scheme that led to SC teen’s suicide

This story discusses suicide. When you or somebody you realize is having ideas of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Disaster Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

A Nigerian man has been extradited to the U.S. after being indicted for allegedly working a sextortion scheme that led to a South Carolina teenager’s loss of life.

The U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace for the District of South Carolina mentioned in a press launch that 24-year-old Hassanbunhussein Abolore Lawal of Osun State, Nigeria, has been indicted on fees of: little one exploitation leading to loss of life; the manufacturing and distribution of kid sexual abuse materials; coercion and enticement of a minor; cyberstalking leading to loss of life; interstate threats with intent to extort; and aiding and abetting.

The costs stem from an investigation into the loss of life of 17-year-old Gavin Guffey of Rock Hill, South Carolina, who died by suicide in July 2022 after falling sufferer to Lawal’s alleged scheme.

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Brandon Guffey, proper, has been exposing the hazards of sextortion after his son, Gavin, second from proper, died by suicide final 12 months. (Brandon Guffey)

Lawal, the lawyer’s workplace mentioned, posed as a younger lady on social media and satisfied the teenager to ship compromising photographs. After {the teenager} despatched the photographs, Lawal is accused of sending harassing messages to him, threatening to leak the photographs and smash his popularity except the teenager despatched him cash.

Lawal is accused of later doing the identical to members of Guffey’s household.

“We won’t enable predators who goal our kids to cover behind a keyboard or throughout the ocean. Immediately we honor Gavin’s life and proceed our struggle in opposition to sextortion by holding this defendant accountable,” mentioned U.S. Legal professional Adair Ford Boroughs for the District of South Carolina. “This investigation and extradition are the results of great regulation enforcement coordination each in the US and Nigeria.”

The boy’s father, South Carolina Republican state Rep. Brandon Guffey, advised Fox Information Digital final 12 months that his son and the perpetrator started chatting on Instagram, the social media app owned by Fb’s guardian firm, Meta.

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The variety of experiences involving sextortion tricks to the Nationwide Heart for Lacking and Exploited Youngsters greater than doubled between 2019 and 2021. In 2022, 79% of offenders had been in search of cash from victims. (Brandon Guffey)

That particular person satisfied Gavin to activate “vanish mode” of their Instagram chat, which permits messages to vanish after they’re acquired. 

“After which they shared photographs,” Guffey advised Fox Information Digital.

After exchanging photographs, that particular person demanded cash from Gavin. He replied that he solely had $25 in his account, which Guffey mentioned was not true, and despatched $25. The scammer demanded extra.

“And he even mentioned that I am sitting in my room with a gun. If these photos exit, I’ll finish it proper now,” the state lawmaker defined. “I do not know if any of the images had been shared.”

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Gavin Guffey, 17, died by suicide in 2022 after turning into the sufferer of a sextortion plot on Instagram. (Brandon Guffey)

Gavin, who had simply graduated from highschool that spring and had a ardour for artwork and music, shot himself that night.

After his loss of life, the scammer he met on Instagram tracked down Brandon Guffey and Gavin’s teenage cousin on Instagram and commenced demanding cash from them.

“This indictment represents the fruits of numerous hours of devoted work accomplished by our investigators each right here and overseas,” mentioned Steve Jensen, particular agent in command of the FBI Columbia Discipline Workplace. “The defendant’s alleged actions are reprehensible ensuing within the tragic lack of a younger man’s life. We stay steadfast in our dedication to holding criminals accountable, particularly those that goal our kids and endanger their lives, irrespective of the place they’re.”

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If convicted, Lawal faces as much as life in jail. The cost of kid exploitation leading to loss of life carries a compulsory sentence of 30 years in jail.

Lawal might additionally face obligatory restitution during which the court docket could order him to pay for losses incurred by the household because of his alleged scheme.

Fox Information Digital’s Audrey Conklin contributed to this report.