The trial of two Nigerian brothers, Samuel Ogoshi and Samson Ogoshi, will commence today in the United States of America after they were arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and extradited to the U.S. for s3xually extorting teenage boys in Michigan and other parts of the country.
Samuel Ogoshi, 22, and Samson Ogoshi, 20, from Lagos, are due to be arraigned at the federal courthouse in Grand Rapids, U.S. Attorney Mark Totten said.
They are accused of running an international sextortion ring in which they posed as women and which resulted in the death of 17-year-old Jordan DeMay of Marquette, in the Upper Peninsula, from a self-inflicted gunshot on March 25, 2022.
The two men each face single counts of conspiracy to s3xually exploit minors, conspiracy to distribute child pornography and conspiracy to commit stalking through the internet.
Samuel Ogoshi also faces single charges of s3xual exploitation of a minor resulting in death and attempted s3xual exploitation of a minor resulting in death.
The men were indicted in May.
In Nigeria, the Ogoshis were arrested in February 2023 in Ojo area of Lagos by EFCC operatives.
Their third accomplice Ezekiel Ejemeh Robert was picked up in Nasarawa State.
The trio allegedly hacked some social media accounts, posing to be young attractive women to entice unsuspecting victims to send their s3xually explicit photographs.
These pictures were then used in blackmailing the victims, thereby forcing them into making huge financial payments.
Sextortion, involves persuading victims to send explicit photos online then threatening to make the images public if the victim does not pay money or engage in s3xual favours.
“Sextortion is a horrible crime,” Totten said in a news release. “To those who commit these crimes: we will pursue you around the world. And to those who are victims: please know we stand ready to help you.”
Totten did not say how many other victims there might be.
The news release did not say whether the Ogoshis are related. And it was silent on their accomplice Ezekiel Ejemeh Robert.
Online court records in the case didn’t show any attorneys for the Ogoshis who might comment on the allegations against them.
