US EditionFour men arrested in West Africa for extortion scheme linked to California teen's suicide
- Four men from Ivory Coast were arrested in April 2024 in connection with an international sextortion scheme linked to a San Jose teen's 2022 suicide.
- The arrests followed a lengthy investigation after 17-year-old Ryan Last was coerced by a man pretending to be a young woman into paying money before he died by suicide.
- Ryan, a straight-A student and Eagle Scout candidate, was threatened with exposure of intimate photos and paid $150, but the harassment continued until his death.
- Authorities said Alfred Kassi was the primary suspect arrested on April 29, with accomplices Oumarou Ouedraogo, Moussa Diaby, and Oumar Cisse who will face prosecution in Ivory Coast, which does not extradite its citizens.
- The FBI continues investigating this and related sextortion cases, warning the rise of such crimes, while victims can report via the Internet Crime Complaint Center or seek crisis help via national hotlines.
22 Articles
22 Articles
4 Men Arrested in West Africa for Extortion Scheme Linked to California Teen’s Suicide
SAN FRANCISCO—Three years after a California teenager died by suicide, four men in West Africa have been arrested on suspicion of participating in “international sextortion scheme,” according to federal investigators. The 2022 death of Ryan Last, a 17-year-old high school senior, prompted a lengthy international investigation, according to a statement Friday from the U.S. Department of Justice. Last had corresponded online with someone on a Meta…
The Independent
The Independent (US)Four people have been arrested 7,000 miles away for sextortion suicide of 17-year-old
Three years after the heartbreaking suicide of a California teenager, authorities have arrested four men in West Africa in connection with an international financial sextortion scheme that targeted thousands of minors around the world.
'Sextortion' scam linked to California teen's suicide leads to 4 arrests in West Africa
The scheme targeted people, including minors, throughout the U.S., Canada, United Kingdom, France, Spain and Italy. Among the victims was Ryan Last, a 17-year-old high school senior from San Jose.
The Killeen Daily Herald
Four men arrested in West Africa for extortion scheme linked to California teen's suicide
Three years after a California teenager died by suicide, four men in West Africa have been arrested on suspicion of participating in what investigators are calling an “international sextortion scheme” that targeted people in the U.S., Canada and Europe. Federal…
San Jose teen dies by suicide after falling victim to 'sextortion' scheme: What parents need to know
Four men from are facing criminal charges for their role in an international sextortion case. One of their victims was a Bay Area teenager who took his own life after being exploited online. And his mother is speaking out, with a warning for other parents.
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