Extortion: U.S. says extradition of Nigerian Ezekiel Ejehem Robert pending
The U.S. Justice Department says the extradition of a Nigerian citizen, Ezekiel Ejehem Robert, is pending. He is 19 years old.
Mr Robert was nabbed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at the behest of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) following his indictment in the suicide of an American citizen.
Mr Robert is charged with sextortion and child pornography.
He is being held by the Nigerian authorities pending his extradition to the U.S. to answer criminal charges.
Mr Robert’s pending extradition was announced Sunday at a press conference by the U.S. attorney for the Western District of Michigan, Mark Totten.
Mr Totten stated that the cooperation and assistance of the EFCC were essential in apprehending the defendant.
Also indicted and already extradited in the case are 22-year-old Samuel Ogoshi and 20-year-old Samson Ogoshi.
Nineteen-year-old Robert is charged with “conspiracy to sexually exploit minors by causing the minors to produce child pornographic images that the defendants then used to blackmail the minors.”
The charge carries a maximum penalty of 30 years and a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison.
The young Nigerian is also charged with “conspiracy to distribute child pornography for sending the child pornography images to the minors, as well as their families and friends.”
The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years and a mandatory minimum penalty of five years.
Mr Totten said Sunday that the Ogoshis had been extradited to the U.S. from Nigeria to face prosecution after being indicted in May 2023 for sexually extorting numerous young men and teenage boys in the Western District of Michigan and across the United States.
Twenty-two-year-old Ogoshi was charged with causing the death of 17-year-old Jordan DeMay, of Marquette, Michigan, who was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in March 2022.
“Sextortion is a horrible crime,” said Mr Totten. “To those who commit these crimes: we will pursue you around the world. And to those who are victims: please know we stand ready to help you.”
The U.S. attorney added, “I am extremely pleased with how swiftly extradition efforts moved forward and am grateful to the FBI and our Nigerian law enforcement partners for their unyielding work to secure justice in this international sexual exploitation investigation.”
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