Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI Crime News (b)
BISMARCK – United States Attorney Mac Schneider announced that a federal grand jury has returned an Indictment charging Aly Cherif, a/k/a Australien Choco, a/k/a Australien Ch’co, a/k/a Michael Jhonson, a/k/a Ali Aly, age 23, from the Ivory Coast, with 1) Cyberstalking Resulting in Death; 2) Wire Fraud; 3) Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud; 4) Extortion; and 5) Distribution of Child Pornography, which resulted in the death of a North Dakota teenager.
The Indictment unsealed today alleges that Cherif, and other individuals located in the Ivory Coast, participated in a well-organized sextortion group that targeted victims throughout the world. “Sextortion” is a term used to describe a scheme to defraud where individuals use the threat of releasing photographs or videos which depict people’s private, intimate, or sexual acts to fraudulently coerce those people to send money based upon falsehoods, blackmail, and threats, in exchange for the sextortioners’ promise to not release these photographs or videos. Specifically, sextortioners perpetrating sextortion schemes utilize false claims to induce victims to send photographs or videos of themselves—or to engage in video chats where the sextortioners record victims—nude or engaged in private, intimate, or sexual acts, and then the sextortioners threaten to release these photographs or videos to friends, family, work colleagues, or threaten to post these photographs or videos on the internet, unless the victim pays money to the sextortioners.
Additionally, as alleged in the Indictment, Cherif and others in the sextortion group targeted a North Dakota teenager by obtaining publicly available photographs of an attractive woman from the internet and then fraudulently used these photographs to create or modify a Facebook account to falsely pose as a woman named “Emily Thompson.” Thereafter, the sextortion group contacted the minor victim through Facebook chat and falsely stated that they were “Emily Thompson,” and that “Emily Thompson” was twenty (20) years old and lived in Montana, when in fact, Cherif and the sextortion group were operating this Facebook account, not a woman named “Emily Thompson.” Next, the sextortion group obtained a video recording and photographs of the minor victim engaging in a private, intimate, or sexual act, and used extortion tactics to attempt to force the minor victim to pay money so that “Emily Thompson” would not release videos and photographs of the minor victim engaging in these acts. When the minor victim informed “Emily Thompson,” that the minor victim did not have any money, the sextortion group distributed images of the minor victim’s genitalia on Facebook. Shortly thereafter, the minor victim committed suicide.
“The United States Attorney’s Office and our partners in law enforcement are committed to obtaining a measure of justice for this family,” Schneider said. “The indictment alleges greed, deception, and child exploitation that led to a heartrending tragedy. As we pursue justice in this case, we want to deter similar conduct and remind kids and families that help is available if they become victims of sextortion.”
“This case is a stark reminder of the dangers children face online, where predators use deception and technology to exploit the most vulnerable among us,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr.” The FBI and our partners will continue working tirelessly to protect children and bring those who seek to harm them to justice.”
An indictment is an accusation and notice of charges. The defendant is presumed innocent under the law unless and until proven guilty.
To report a sextortion scam, contact your local FBI field office at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
To learn more about identifying and preventing sextortion scams, please visit the FBI’s website: https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/scams-and-safety/common-frauds-and-scams/sextortion
Further, please visit the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Resource for Sextortion Victims: https://www.ojp.gov/library/publications/resources-sextortion-victims
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan J. O’Konek.
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