LAGOS, Nigeria — A sweeping FBI-led operation has led to the arrest of 22 Nigerian nationals accused of orchestrating a harrowing online sextortion campaign that preyed on teenage boys in the United States, Canada, and Australia—schemes linked to at least 20 teen suicides in the U.S. since 2021.
Dubbed Operation Artemis, the unprecedented initiative involved U.S. agents, forensic examiners, and analysts who teamed up with counterparts from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Australian Federal Police, and Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Together, they spent weeks tracking and arresting suspects believed to be behind a wave of extortion that exploited thousands of teens through fake online identities and threats of exposure.
“These subjects do not take into account that there’s a person on the other end,” said Robert Cameron, FBI supervisory special agent and former attaché in Lagos. “They’re just looking for easy money.”
The suspects, mostly young men, reportedly posed as attractive girls on social media, convincing teen boys to share explicit photos—then demanding money to keep those images private. FBI investigators say the threats rarely stopped after one payment.
From Data to Arrests
The operation traces its roots to early 2023, when the FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit began combing through terabytes of digital data and found patterns pointing to perpetrators in Nigeria. Coordinating closely with the EFCC, investigators zeroed in on priority targets—some directly tied to U.S. suicide cases.
At the Lagos command post, FBI forensic teams rapidly analyzed seized phones and laptops, often using real-time evidence to confront suspects during interviews.
“You can’t really say you didn’t do it when we’re seeing it right here,” said Thomas Million, an FBI analyst.
“No Longer Anonymous”
While the crime is global, the emotional toll is intimate and devastating. “Imagine someone walking into your home in the middle of the night and shooting your son,” said a father whose 16-year-old took his life after a sextortion threat. “Well, this person did something even worse than that. He scared him so bad that he shot himself.”
Authorities say financially motivated sextortion cases are surging. The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center recorded over 54,000 victims in 2024 alone—up from 34,000 the year before. Teenage boys remain the primary targets.
“It’s easy money,” one Nigerian suspect told FBI Special Agent Matthew Crowley. “If three out of 40 victims pay $200 each, that’s $600 in a day.”
A United Front Against Digital Predators
The operation’s multinational scope sends a clear message, officials said: borders will not shield criminals who harm children.
“Suspects can’t hide behind their computers,” said RCMP Sgt. Derek Bonner, who led a Canadian case involving a 14-year-old victim. “If they commit these crimes internationally, international partners will hold them accountable.”
EFCC commander Michael Wetkas emphasized the strength of local cooperation: “No matter how good the FBI is, they may not penetrate our terrain the way we do.”
U.S. officials hope the arrests—and looming federal prosecutions—serve as a deterrent.
“Stop,” said AFP’s Kevin Mulroney. “Leave our kids alone. It’s no longer anonymous. We will follow you, and we will find you.”
