A country-wide investigation into the online sextortion of teens has led to dozens of charges against a B.C. man.
The Burnaby RCMP explains the Canadian investigation began after several victims came forward to police in Nova Scotia, Quebec, and Ontario, saying they were being extorted online after sharing explicit images with someone they met on social media.
Police say the suspect allegedly demanded money from the victims, threatening to send the images to the victims’ social media networks.
In December 2022, police say a man from Burnaby, just east of Vancouver, was identified as a suspect. In January 2023, a search warrant was executed at a home in Burnaby.
On July 11, 2024, a 19-year-old was charged with 23 offences in relation to the alleged sextortion attempts.
The charges include extortion; telecommunication to lure a child under 18; telecommunication to lure a child under 16; possessing child pornography; importing/distributing child pornography; publication of intimate images without consent; and secretly observe/record nudity or sexual activity; amongst others.
Police say the majority of the charges relate to victims between the ages of 15 and 18. Their identities are protected by a publication ban.
“We would really like to commend these victims for coming forward and reporting these incidents to police,” said Corp. Max Gagné with Burnaby RCMP’s CASO unit. “Their bravery in stepping forward and telling someone has allowed us to advance this investigation, which has now resulted in criminal charges.”
Police say the number of extortion cases across Canada continues to rise, however, they believe they are widely “unreported.”
“Online sexual extortion is a crime that has had tragic outcomes,” said Gagné. “We want to remind victims that they are not alone and that we are here to help them and hold offenders to account. If you have been victimized by this type of crime, please report it to police.”
The 19-yera-old has been released under court-ordered conditions. These include not having any contact with victims, no contact with anyone under the age of 16, and not accessing any social media or dating sites, including TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Bumble, and Tinder.