Latest news with #AFP-led
The Advertiser
3 days ago
- The Advertiser
Blackmail scam aimed at teens leads to arrests by Australian police, FBI
Almost two dozen alleged online sextortion perpetrators have been arrested amid an international probe into the blackmail of teenagers in Australia, the United States and Canada. The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) partnered with the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and other global agencies to arrest 22 sextortion suspects in Nigeria. Two of the alleged offenders were linked to the suicide of a 16-year-old boy in NSW in 2023, police said. Police believe the boy committed suicide after engaging with the scammers online, who threatened to share personal photos with his family and friends if he did not pay $500. "The network's scheme, which coerced victims into sharing sexually explicit images before threatening to distribute those images unless payment was made, had devastating consequences," police said. More than 20 teen suicides in the US have been linked to sextortion scams since 2021. The joint operation, Operation Artemis, included two AFP investigators deployed in Nigeria to trace online activity, link digital evidence to suspects, and help in the identification of perpetrators and victims. Investigators from the AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) also offered expert analysis on data seized by foreign law enforcement, police said. In Australia, the ACCCE received a total of 58,503 reports of online child exploitation, including 1554 sextortion-related reports in the 2023 to 2024 financial year. AFP acting commander Ben Moses said the global operation sent a clear message to scammers targeting children online. "Law enforcement is united and determined to find you - no matter where you hide," he said. "These crimes are calculated and devastating, often pushing vulnerable young people into extreme distress. "Thanks to the coordinated action of our partners, we achieved meaningful results including an immediate and significant reduction in sextortion reports across Australia." Help is available: The AFP-led ThinkUKnow program has developed the online blackmail and sexual extortion response kit aimed at young people, aged 13 to 17, and is available from the ThinkUKnow and ACCCE websites. The ACCCE has also created a dedicated sextortion help page with resources and information on how to report sextortion. Members of the public who have information about people involved in online child sexual exploitation are urged to contact the ACCCE. If you know abuse is happening right now, or a child is at risk, call police immediately on 000. If you, or someone you know, is impacted by child sexual abuse and online exploitation, support services are available. Almost two dozen alleged online sextortion perpetrators have been arrested amid an international probe into the blackmail of teenagers in Australia, the United States and Canada. The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) partnered with the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and other global agencies to arrest 22 sextortion suspects in Nigeria. Two of the alleged offenders were linked to the suicide of a 16-year-old boy in NSW in 2023, police said. Police believe the boy committed suicide after engaging with the scammers online, who threatened to share personal photos with his family and friends if he did not pay $500. "The network's scheme, which coerced victims into sharing sexually explicit images before threatening to distribute those images unless payment was made, had devastating consequences," police said. More than 20 teen suicides in the US have been linked to sextortion scams since 2021. The joint operation, Operation Artemis, included two AFP investigators deployed in Nigeria to trace online activity, link digital evidence to suspects, and help in the identification of perpetrators and victims. Investigators from the AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) also offered expert analysis on data seized by foreign law enforcement, police said. In Australia, the ACCCE received a total of 58,503 reports of online child exploitation, including 1554 sextortion-related reports in the 2023 to 2024 financial year. AFP acting commander Ben Moses said the global operation sent a clear message to scammers targeting children online. "Law enforcement is united and determined to find you - no matter where you hide," he said. "These crimes are calculated and devastating, often pushing vulnerable young people into extreme distress. "Thanks to the coordinated action of our partners, we achieved meaningful results including an immediate and significant reduction in sextortion reports across Australia." Help is available: The AFP-led ThinkUKnow program has developed the online blackmail and sexual extortion response kit aimed at young people, aged 13 to 17, and is available from the ThinkUKnow and ACCCE websites. The ACCCE has also created a dedicated sextortion help page with resources and information on how to report sextortion. Members of the public who have information about people involved in online child sexual exploitation are urged to contact the ACCCE. If you know abuse is happening right now, or a child is at risk, call police immediately on 000. If you, or someone you know, is impacted by child sexual abuse and online exploitation, support services are available. Almost two dozen alleged online sextortion perpetrators have been arrested amid an international probe into the blackmail of teenagers in Australia, the United States and Canada. The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) partnered with the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and other global agencies to arrest 22 sextortion suspects in Nigeria. Two of the alleged offenders were linked to the suicide of a 16-year-old boy in NSW in 2023, police said. Police believe the boy committed suicide after engaging with the scammers online, who threatened to share personal photos with his family and friends if he did not pay $500. "The network's scheme, which coerced victims into sharing sexually explicit images before threatening to distribute those images unless payment was made, had devastating consequences," police said. More than 20 teen suicides in the US have been linked to sextortion scams since 2021. The joint operation, Operation Artemis, included two AFP investigators deployed in Nigeria to trace online activity, link digital evidence to suspects, and help in the identification of perpetrators and victims. Investigators from the AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) also offered expert analysis on data seized by foreign law enforcement, police said. In Australia, the ACCCE received a total of 58,503 reports of online child exploitation, including 1554 sextortion-related reports in the 2023 to 2024 financial year. AFP acting commander Ben Moses said the global operation sent a clear message to scammers targeting children online. "Law enforcement is united and determined to find you - no matter where you hide," he said. "These crimes are calculated and devastating, often pushing vulnerable young people into extreme distress. "Thanks to the coordinated action of our partners, we achieved meaningful results including an immediate and significant reduction in sextortion reports across Australia." Help is available: The AFP-led ThinkUKnow program has developed the online blackmail and sexual extortion response kit aimed at young people, aged 13 to 17, and is available from the ThinkUKnow and ACCCE websites. The ACCCE has also created a dedicated sextortion help page with resources and information on how to report sextortion. Members of the public who have information about people involved in online child sexual exploitation are urged to contact the ACCCE. If you know abuse is happening right now, or a child is at risk, call police immediately on 000. If you, or someone you know, is impacted by child sexual abuse and online exploitation, support services are available. Almost two dozen alleged online sextortion perpetrators have been arrested amid an international probe into the blackmail of teenagers in Australia, the United States and Canada. The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) partnered with the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and other global agencies to arrest 22 sextortion suspects in Nigeria. Two of the alleged offenders were linked to the suicide of a 16-year-old boy in NSW in 2023, police said. Police believe the boy committed suicide after engaging with the scammers online, who threatened to share personal photos with his family and friends if he did not pay $500. "The network's scheme, which coerced victims into sharing sexually explicit images before threatening to distribute those images unless payment was made, had devastating consequences," police said. More than 20 teen suicides in the US have been linked to sextortion scams since 2021. The joint operation, Operation Artemis, included two AFP investigators deployed in Nigeria to trace online activity, link digital evidence to suspects, and help in the identification of perpetrators and victims. Investigators from the AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) also offered expert analysis on data seized by foreign law enforcement, police said. In Australia, the ACCCE received a total of 58,503 reports of online child exploitation, including 1554 sextortion-related reports in the 2023 to 2024 financial year. AFP acting commander Ben Moses said the global operation sent a clear message to scammers targeting children online. "Law enforcement is united and determined to find you - no matter where you hide," he said. "These crimes are calculated and devastating, often pushing vulnerable young people into extreme distress. "Thanks to the coordinated action of our partners, we achieved meaningful results including an immediate and significant reduction in sextortion reports across Australia." Help is available: The AFP-led ThinkUKnow program has developed the online blackmail and sexual extortion response kit aimed at young people, aged 13 to 17, and is available from the ThinkUKnow and ACCCE websites. The ACCCE has also created a dedicated sextortion help page with resources and information on how to report sextortion. Members of the public who have information about people involved in online child sexual exploitation are urged to contact the ACCCE. If you know abuse is happening right now, or a child is at risk, call police immediately on 000. If you, or someone you know, is impacted by child sexual abuse and online exploitation, support services are available.
The Advertiser
4 days ago
- The Advertiser
Teenager blackmail scam leads to sweeping arrests by Australian police, FBI
Almost two dozen online sextortion perpetrators have been arrested amid an international probe into the blackmail of teenagers in Australia, the United States and Canada. The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) partnered with the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and other global agencies to arrest 22 sextortion suspects in Nigeria. Two of the alleged offenders were linked to the suicide of a 16-year-old boy in NSW in 2023, police said. Police believe the boy committed suicide after engaging with the scammers online, who threatened to share personal photos with his family and friends if he did not pay $500. "The network's scheme, which coerced victims into sharing sexually explicit images before threatening to distribute those images unless payment was made, had devastating consequences," police said. More than 20 teen suicides in the US have been linked to sextortion scams since 2021. The joint operation, Operation Artemis, included two AFP investigators deployed in Nigeria to trace online activity, link digital evidence to suspects, and help in the identification of perpetrators and victims. Investigators from the AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) also offered expert analysis on data seized by foreign law enforcement, police said. In Australia, the ACCCE received a total of 58,503 reports of online child exploitation, including 1554 sextortion-related reports in the 2023 to 2024 financial year. AFP acting commander Ben Moses said the global operation sent a clear message to scammers targeting children online. "Law enforcement is united and determined to find you - no matter where you hide," he said. "These crimes are calculated and devastating, often pushing vulnerable young people into extreme distress. "Thanks to the coordinated action of our partners, we achieved meaningful results including an immediate and significant reduction in sextortion reports across Australia." Help is available: The AFP-led ThinkUKnow program has developed the online blackmail and sexual extortion response kit aimed at young people, aged 13 to 17, and is available from the ThinkUKnow and ACCCE websites. The ACCCE has also created a dedicated sextortion help page with resources and information on how to report sextortion. Members of the public who have information about people involved in online child sexual exploitation are urged to contact the ACCCE. If you know abuse is happening right now, or a child is at risk, call police immediately on 000. If you, or someone you know, is impacted by child sexual abuse and online exploitation, support services are available. Almost two dozen online sextortion perpetrators have been arrested amid an international probe into the blackmail of teenagers in Australia, the United States and Canada. The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) partnered with the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and other global agencies to arrest 22 sextortion suspects in Nigeria. Two of the alleged offenders were linked to the suicide of a 16-year-old boy in NSW in 2023, police said. Police believe the boy committed suicide after engaging with the scammers online, who threatened to share personal photos with his family and friends if he did not pay $500. "The network's scheme, which coerced victims into sharing sexually explicit images before threatening to distribute those images unless payment was made, had devastating consequences," police said. More than 20 teen suicides in the US have been linked to sextortion scams since 2021. The joint operation, Operation Artemis, included two AFP investigators deployed in Nigeria to trace online activity, link digital evidence to suspects, and help in the identification of perpetrators and victims. Investigators from the AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) also offered expert analysis on data seized by foreign law enforcement, police said. In Australia, the ACCCE received a total of 58,503 reports of online child exploitation, including 1554 sextortion-related reports in the 2023 to 2024 financial year. AFP acting commander Ben Moses said the global operation sent a clear message to scammers targeting children online. "Law enforcement is united and determined to find you - no matter where you hide," he said. "These crimes are calculated and devastating, often pushing vulnerable young people into extreme distress. "Thanks to the coordinated action of our partners, we achieved meaningful results including an immediate and significant reduction in sextortion reports across Australia." Help is available: The AFP-led ThinkUKnow program has developed the online blackmail and sexual extortion response kit aimed at young people, aged 13 to 17, and is available from the ThinkUKnow and ACCCE websites. The ACCCE has also created a dedicated sextortion help page with resources and information on how to report sextortion. Members of the public who have information about people involved in online child sexual exploitation are urged to contact the ACCCE. If you know abuse is happening right now, or a child is at risk, call police immediately on 000. If you, or someone you know, is impacted by child sexual abuse and online exploitation, support services are available. Almost two dozen online sextortion perpetrators have been arrested amid an international probe into the blackmail of teenagers in Australia, the United States and Canada. The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) partnered with the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and other global agencies to arrest 22 sextortion suspects in Nigeria. Two of the alleged offenders were linked to the suicide of a 16-year-old boy in NSW in 2023, police said. Police believe the boy committed suicide after engaging with the scammers online, who threatened to share personal photos with his family and friends if he did not pay $500. "The network's scheme, which coerced victims into sharing sexually explicit images before threatening to distribute those images unless payment was made, had devastating consequences," police said. More than 20 teen suicides in the US have been linked to sextortion scams since 2021. The joint operation, Operation Artemis, included two AFP investigators deployed in Nigeria to trace online activity, link digital evidence to suspects, and help in the identification of perpetrators and victims. Investigators from the AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) also offered expert analysis on data seized by foreign law enforcement, police said. In Australia, the ACCCE received a total of 58,503 reports of online child exploitation, including 1554 sextortion-related reports in the 2023 to 2024 financial year. AFP acting commander Ben Moses said the global operation sent a clear message to scammers targeting children online. "Law enforcement is united and determined to find you - no matter where you hide," he said. "These crimes are calculated and devastating, often pushing vulnerable young people into extreme distress. "Thanks to the coordinated action of our partners, we achieved meaningful results including an immediate and significant reduction in sextortion reports across Australia." Help is available: The AFP-led ThinkUKnow program has developed the online blackmail and sexual extortion response kit aimed at young people, aged 13 to 17, and is available from the ThinkUKnow and ACCCE websites. The ACCCE has also created a dedicated sextortion help page with resources and information on how to report sextortion. Members of the public who have information about people involved in online child sexual exploitation are urged to contact the ACCCE. If you know abuse is happening right now, or a child is at risk, call police immediately on 000. If you, or someone you know, is impacted by child sexual abuse and online exploitation, support services are available. Almost two dozen online sextortion perpetrators have been arrested amid an international probe into the blackmail of teenagers in Australia, the United States and Canada. The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) partnered with the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and other global agencies to arrest 22 sextortion suspects in Nigeria. Two of the alleged offenders were linked to the suicide of a 16-year-old boy in NSW in 2023, police said. Police believe the boy committed suicide after engaging with the scammers online, who threatened to share personal photos with his family and friends if he did not pay $500. "The network's scheme, which coerced victims into sharing sexually explicit images before threatening to distribute those images unless payment was made, had devastating consequences," police said. More than 20 teen suicides in the US have been linked to sextortion scams since 2021. The joint operation, Operation Artemis, included two AFP investigators deployed in Nigeria to trace online activity, link digital evidence to suspects, and help in the identification of perpetrators and victims. Investigators from the AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) also offered expert analysis on data seized by foreign law enforcement, police said. In Australia, the ACCCE received a total of 58,503 reports of online child exploitation, including 1554 sextortion-related reports in the 2023 to 2024 financial year. AFP acting commander Ben Moses said the global operation sent a clear message to scammers targeting children online. "Law enforcement is united and determined to find you - no matter where you hide," he said. "These crimes are calculated and devastating, often pushing vulnerable young people into extreme distress. "Thanks to the coordinated action of our partners, we achieved meaningful results including an immediate and significant reduction in sextortion reports across Australia." Help is available: The AFP-led ThinkUKnow program has developed the online blackmail and sexual extortion response kit aimed at young people, aged 13 to 17, and is available from the ThinkUKnow and ACCCE websites. The ACCCE has also created a dedicated sextortion help page with resources and information on how to report sextortion. Members of the public who have information about people involved in online child sexual exploitation are urged to contact the ACCCE. If you know abuse is happening right now, or a child is at risk, call police immediately on 000. If you, or someone you know, is impacted by child sexual abuse and online exploitation, support services are available.
West Australian
4 days ago
- West Australian
Nigerian sextortion ring allegedly linked to NSW teen's death smashed by AFP, 22 arrested
A Nigerian sextortion ring – which is linked to the death of an Aussie teenager – has been smashed by Australian Federal Police (AFP) and international police. The joint operation was led by the FBI, AFP, Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, who were tasked with 'dismantling' an alleged organised crime network responsible for a wave of online sextortion crimes targeting teenagers all over the world. It is alleged the network coerced victims into sending sexually explicit images before threatening to share them unless payment was made. 22 men were arrested as part of the joint police operation, titled Operation Artemis. Two of the 22 were Nigerian-based offenders who are alleged to be linked to the death of a 16-year-old boy in NSW, who took his own life in 2023 after they allegedly threatened to share intimate images with his family and friends if he did not pay them money. In the US, more than 20 teenage suicides were linked to the sextortion network since AFP investigators were sent to Nigeria to trace online activity, link digital evidence to suspects and assist in the identification of the perpetrators and the victims. Data seized by foreign law enforcement was also analysed by investigators from the AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE), as well as supporting the process to avoid overlap with investigations. There has been a growing sophistication and volume of online abuse attempts targeting Australian children. Between the 2023 and 2024 financial year, the ACCCE received 58,503 reports of online child exploitation locally, including 1554 sextortion-related reports. AFP Acting Commander and leader of the ACCCE Ben Moses said the outcome was a result of international co-operation. 'This global operation sends a clear message to those who exploit children online. Law enforcement is united and determined to find you — no matter where you hide,' he said. 'These crimes are calculated and devastating, often pushing vulnerable young people into extreme distress. 'Thanks to the co-ordinated action of our partners, we achieved meaningful results including an immediate and significant reduction in sextortion reports across Australia.' mental health helplines
Perth Now
4 days ago
- Perth Now
Sextortion ring linked to teen's death
A Nigerian sextortion ring – which is linked to the death of an Aussie teenager – has been smashed by Australian Federal Police (AFP) and international police. The joint operation was led by the FBI, AFP, Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, who were tasked with 'dismantling' an alleged organised crime network responsible for a wave of online sextortion crimes targeting teenagers all over the world. The Australian Federal Police (AFP) have arrested 22 men in Nigeria suspected of engaging in online sextortion, some of which were linked to the suicide of a NSW teenager. AFP. Credit: NewsWire It is alleged the network coerced victims into sending sexually explicit images before threatening to share them unless payment was made. 22 men were arrested as part of the joint police operation, titled Operation Artemis. Two of the 22 were Nigerian-based offenders who are alleged to be linked to the death of a 16-year-old boy in NSW, who took his own life in 2023 after they allegedly threatened to share intimate images with his family and friends if he did not pay them money. In the US, more than 20 teenage suicides were linked to the sextortion network since AFP investigators were sent to Nigeria to trace online activity, link digital evidence to suspects and assist in the identification of the perpetrators and the victims. Data seized by foreign law enforcement was also analysed by investigators from the AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE), as well as supporting the process to avoid overlap with investigations. There has been a growing sophistication and volume of online abuse attempts targeting Australian children. Between the 2023 and 2024 financial year, the ACCCE received 58,503 reports of online child exploitation locally, including 1554 sextortion-related reports. Two men were arrested in connection to the suicide of a NSW teenager in 2023. AFP Credit: NewsWire AFP Acting Commander and leader of the ACCCE Ben Moses said the outcome was a result of international co-operation. 'This global operation sends a clear message to those who exploit children online. Law enforcement is united and determined to find you — no matter where you hide,' he said. 'These crimes are calculated and devastating, often pushing vulnerable young people into extreme distress. 'Thanks to the co-ordinated action of our partners, we achieved meaningful results including an immediate and significant reduction in sextortion reports across Australia.' mental health helplines
West Australian
18-05-2025
- West Australian
Hacker's waterfront home, Mercedes and Bitcoin forfeited in cybercrime probe
A waterfront mansion, a luxury car and cryptocurrency - together valued at more than $4.5m - have been seized in a major cybercrime investigation, which led police to a Queensland man once convicted of hacking a US gaming company. The assets were seized by the AFP-led Criminal Assets Confiscation Taskforce (CACT) after being identified as suspected proceeds of crime linked to the theft of cryptocurrency and cyber hacking. The forfeiture brought to a close Operation Gouldian, which began after law enforcement partners in Luxembourg tipped off AUSTRAC in 2018 about suspicious Bitcoin activity. Authorities traced the transactions to a Queensland man who had previously been convicted of hacking a U.S. gaming company. Investigators also suspected the man was linked to the 2013 theft of 950 Bitcoin from a French cryptocurrency exchange. Although no criminal charges were laid in Australia, CACT used civil powers available under proceeds of crime laws to freeze and ultimately confiscate the assets. These laws allow action to be taken even when a prosecution is not pursued. In July 2023, the AFP obtained restraining orders over a luxury home in Beachmere, a black 2019 Mercedes-Benz sedan, and just less than 25 Bitcoin. Authorities alleged the man's wealth was not supported by any legitimate income. AFP Commander Jason Kennedy said targeting illegal profits remained a key strategy in tackling cybercrime. 'Criminals are driven by greed at the expense of honest Australians and businesses who are losing their hard-earned money to cyber criminals,' he said. 'The profits derived from criminal activities are also often used to fund further criminal acts, which is why the AFP works closely with our partners in the CACT to target the proceeds of crime and ensure they are reinvested in the community.' Since July 2019, the taskforce has restrained more than $1.2bn worth of criminal assets, including property, luxury goods, cryptocurrency, and even yachts and fine art. CACT permanently established in 2012 to proactively trace and confiscate criminal wealth. The assets will now be liquidated, with proceeds then placed into the Commonwealth Confiscated Assets Account, where they can be directed by the Attorney-General to support community initiatives such as drug prevention or law enforcement programs.
