Headline

Two Nigerian Siblings Plead Guilty To Sexual Extortion In US

Published

1 year ago

April 12, 2024

Two Nigerian brothers have pleaded guilty in connection with an international sextortion ring, in which they threatened to release a nude photo of a 17-year-old Michigan boy, driving him to commit suicide inside his home.

Samuel Ogoshi, 22, and Samson Ogoshi, 20, each pleaded guilty to conspiring to sexually exploit teenage boys, on Wednesday, April 10, US Attorney Mark Totten said in a statement.

The brothers face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years behind bars, US Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten said in a statement.

They were originally charged with conspiracy to sexually exploit minors, conspiracy to distribute child porn, and conspiracy to commit stalking over the internet in a plot against dozens of young men and teen boys in the US.

In exchange for the plea agreement, the other charges will be dropped.

“Today’s guilty pleas represent an extraordinary success in the prosecution of international sextortion,” Totten said in the release. “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.”

He continued: “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. 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,” Totten added.

DeMay, 17, was found dead in his home of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on March 25, 2022, after an Instagram account officials said was run by the three Nigerian men threatened to release explicit photos of the teen if he did not pay $1,000.

For DeMay’s death, Samuel had faced a maximum penalty of life in prison after he was additionally charged with sexual exploitation and attempted sexual exploitation of a minor resulting in death.

The Marquette teen took his his own life after he was contacted by an Instagram account with the username “@dani.robertts,” officials have said.

“I can send this [sic] nudes to everyone and also send your nudes Until it goes viral,” Samuel messaged DeMay after the teen sent an explicit photo of himself, officials said.

Though the account appeared to be run by a woman, prosecutors said it was actually one of the several hacked profiles the sextorting trio used to entice and manipulate DeMay and others.

Despite being asked for $1,000, DeMay sent only $300, which prompted Samuel to threaten to forward the image to the high school football player’s family and friends.

The Ogoshis, who had previously been extradited from Nigeria to stand trial, were remanded to the custody of federal marshals after pleading guilty.

A Nigerian court recently ordered Robert, 19, the third defendant, to be extradited to the US, but he has appealed that decision and the matter is before the country’s High Court, officials said.

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

“We encourage the public to have open and honest conversations with their loved ones surrounding sextortion and to take heed of the warning signs,” Gibson said.

“If you believe you or someone you know has become a victim of this crime, please contact the FBI by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI or submitting a tip at tips.fbi.gov.”

Headline

Again, Russia Claims Another Village In Ukraine’s Region

Published

15 hours ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

The Russian army Monday claimed to have captured another village in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, moving deeper into Ukrainian territory as peace efforts stall.

Russian forces are slowly but steadily gaining ground in costly battles for largely devastated areas in eastern and central Ukraine, normally with few inhabitants or intact buildings left.

Russia’s defence ministry said its forces had seized the settlement of Zaporizke in the region, which Russian troops recently advanced into for the first time in the three-and-a-half-year offensive.

Kyiv denies that Russian troops have gained a foothold in the Dnipropetrovsk region, an important industrial hub.

After another push by US President Donald Trump to broker a Ukraine-Russia summit, hopes for peace dimmed when Russia last week ruled out any immediate meeting between presidents Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky.

The central region of Dnipropetrovsk has previously been largely spared from fighting that has ravaged swathes of eastern and southern Ukraine, until Russia said its forces broke through in July.

Dnipropetrovsk is not one of the five Ukrainian regions — Donetsk, Kherson, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia and Crimea — that Moscow has publicly claimed as Russian territory.

Ukraine said Russia had launched over 100 drones Monday, killing a 37-year old civilian driver and wounding two people in the northeastern Sumy region.

Moscow said Kyiv had launched about two dozen drones targeting western Russia

Headline

US Comedian Reggie Carroll Shot Dead In Mississippi

Published

15 hours ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

A United States comedian, Reginald “Reggie” Carroll, has been shot dead in Southaven, Mississippi.

The 52-year-old Carroll, widely known as the Knockout King of Comedy, was reportedly killed on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, after sustaining multiple gunshot wounds.

The Southaven Police Department confirmed the incident in a Facebook statement on Saturday.

“Southaven officers located one male victim suffering from gunshot wounds.

“The officers and medical personnel provided life saving techniques but the individual succumbed to his injuries,” the statement partly read.

The victim was later identified as Carroll, a Baltimore native.

Police said one suspect was arrested and charged with his murder.

“One male is in custody and has been charged with the murder of Reginald Carroll.

“Our thoughts are with the family of Mr. Carroll.

“Thank you to the community for their patience and understanding,” the department added.

The police further assured that there was no ongoing threat to residents, describing the case as “an isolated shooting.”

Carroll, who built his career in stand-up comedy, gained national recognition touring with Katt Williams and headlining his own showcase, Knockout Kings of Comedy.

He also featured in the 2000 edition of Showtime at the Apollo, appeared on the UPN sitcom The Parkers alongside Mo’Nique and Countess Vaughn, and starred in the 2022 television film Rent & Go.

In 2023, he produced the stand-up special Knockout Kings of Comedy.

The Southaven Police Department disclosed that an investigation into his death is ongoing.

Headline

US Defends New Social Media Vetting For Nigerian Visa Applicants

Published

16 hours ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

The U.S. Mission in Nigeria on Monday reaffirmed that the safety and security of the United States remain the cornerstone of its visa application and decision-making process.

The US said this following its directive last week that mandates Nigerians to disclose all social media usernames and handles used over the past five years as part of the visa application process.

US Mission said Nigerian visa applicants must provide a comprehensive list of their social media profiles on the DS-160 visa application form, and warned that omitting the information could lead to visa denials.

Reacting to the development, the Federal Government said US citizens intending to visit Nigeria will be subjected to the same measures.

“The best we can do is to carry out reciprocal action. Some people from the US might want to apply for a visa, and we will adopt the same measures,” spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said last Monday.

However, in a statement released Monday on X, the US Mission said prospective visa applicants undergo careful vetting to maintain a safe and welcoming environment in the US.

It said, “The safety and security of the United States is at the heart of every #USVisa application and decision process.

“That’s why prospective applicants undergo careful screening to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all.”

The Mission added, “These measures help protect American citizens and communities while supporting secure and responsible travel.”