A university student from the Midlands was the victim of a distressing 'sextortion' blackmail plot, according to police, leading to charges against two individuals.
The details of the online scam
The incident began in October 2023 when the 23-year-old student from Nottingham was contacted on Instagram by someone he believed to be a woman. The conversation moved to Snapchat, where discussions reportedly became sexual in nature.
It was there that the student was allegedly persuaded to send intimate pictures of himself. After he sent the images, the perpetrators allegedly demanded money, threatening to distribute the photos to his family, friends, and people at his university if he did not comply.
Police response and public warning
Nottinghamshire Police have highlighted the severe impact of such crimes. Detective Sergeant Alana Scott, investigating the case, stated that sextortion has a 'detrimental impact on victims, not only emotionally but financially'.
Detective Chief Inspector Chris Berryman reinforced the force's stance, saying: 'We take all reports of sextortion extremely seriously in Nottingham and will support any victims affected by this crime.' He confirmed that a police campaign was launched to educate young people following a rise in reports.
The police advice is clear for anyone affected: 'Please don’t suffer in silence. Please get in touch with us as soon as possible. We are here to help.'
Charges brought in the case
As a result of the investigation, two men have been charged with blackmail. They are Adam Abimbola, 25, of Woden Road, Wolverhampton, and Ifedolapo Bamgbaiye, 26, of Onslow Road, Southampton.
Both are scheduled to appear before Nottingham Magistrates' Court on February 6 to face the charges.
