(WXYZ) — Financial sextortion cases targeting teenagers have more than doubled in the past year, with some cases turning fatal as predators increasingly use social media to manipulate young victims.
See Whitney Burney's full story in the video below
Three years after losing their 17-year-old son Jordan to suicide following a sextortion scheme, John DeMay and Jennifer Buta are speaking out to warn other families about the dangers lurking online.
"The last three years have been really difficult. Time passes on but the grief never goes away of losing a child. Every day that I wake up, it's a reminder that that's one more day I'm going forward and Jordan isn't here," Buta said.
Jordan DeMay was a Marquette High School senior who was an honor roll student and homecoming king. He fell victim to scammers on social media. The scammers posed as a girl named "Dani" on social media and messaged him one night in March of 2022. After being manipulated into sending a nude photo, the perpetrators demanded $1,000, threatening to share the image with his friends and family. Within just six hours of the initial contact, Jordan took his own life.
"It's the most devastating pain on the planet and Jordan didn't deserve that," John DeMay, Jordan's father, said."This all happened in the middle of the night while I was sleeping. I had zero chance to intercept any of this. From the time he started communicating, to the time he was extorted, to the time he took his life, I was in bed sleeping."
Hear more from Jordan's parents in the video below
The two Nigerian brothers behind the "Dani" social media account were part of a transnational scam ring targeting teens. They have since been extradited and prosecuted in Michigan courts.
Last September, both men were sentenced to more than 17 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count each of conspiring to sexually exploit minors. Federal prosecutors say the brothers targeted DeMay and more than 100 others.
Financial sextortion is a growing global issue. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children documented nearly 27,000 reports of financial sextortion in 2023 alone—more than double the previous year's figures.
Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard says these crimes often begin on social media platforms, with recent cases occurring in his jurisdiction.
"This happens all the time. The problem is often it's never reported because the child is afraid, embarrassed," Bouchard said.
Bouchard says he expects this crime to get worse with the addition of AI. He says crimes like this are a part of the reason he launched the computer crimes unit within his department when he took over as Sheriff.
"The internet does some great things for research and education but it does some terrible things. It allows predators to lurk in the shadows. It used to be when your kids were home and the doors were locked, they were safe. Now they can be in any room in their house on their phone or any device talking to a predator," Bouchard said.
Just last fall, a teen on the west side of Michigan was charged after allegedly pressuring other teenagers to send inappropriate images in a sextortion scheme. One high school student caught in the sextortion trap took his own life.
At least two states—New Mexico and Florida—are now seeking to hold social media apps like Snapchat accountable. The states claim the app is addicting teens and facilitating these crimes.
In Michigan, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed a package of bills into law in January, allowing school officials to collaborate with law enforcement agencies to address crimes committed over social media like sextortion. The legislation, named after Jordan DeMay, also establishes sentencing guidelines.
"We need social media companies to be more socially responsible," Bouchard said.
Parents who understand the severity of these manipulation tactics urge other parents to be vigilant and communicate with their children.
"It's not if it's happening to them, it's when. It's literally happening to everybody to some degree," John DeMay said.
"Financial sextortion is happening every single day to kids and right now you have to have a conversation amongst your family, the schools the community about what to do when someone reaches out to you on social media and they started asking you for photos or money or favors," Buta said.
If you believe you've been victimized or extorted online, or a child has been a victim of this crime, there is help available. The Department of Homeland Security recommends calling the Know2Protect Tipline at 833-591-KNOW (5669). Tips can also be submitted here.
If you need help removing inappropriate images of yourself from the internet you can also use the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's free service for help removing them.
Snapchat has also set up a family safety hub where parents can learn more information about keeping teens safe.
This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
