A heartbreaking case of online sextortion has rocked both the United States and Nigeria, as investigations revealed that the cybercriminals behind the death of 16-year-old American schoolboy, Evan Boettler, operated from Lagos, Nigeria.

Boettler, a high school student from Missouri, reportedly took his own life just 90 minutes after being blackmailed by an online user posing as a teenage girl on Snapchat.

According to a BBC investigation, the suspect, using the fake profile name “JennyTee60,” tricked Evan into sharing explicit photos before threatening to publish them unless he paid money. One of the blackmail messages read:

“I have your nudes and everything needed to ruin your life.”

The threatening messages drove the teenager into panic and despair, leading to his tragic death.

Investigators later traced the Snapchat account’s IP address to Lagos, Nigeria, uncovering a network of cybercriminals known locally as “Yahoo Boys.” These groups are notorious for running organized s3xtortion and romance scams from makeshift cybercrime hubs often called “Hustle Kingdoms.”

One of the scammers interviewed, identified only as Ola, explained their tactics:

“You open a female account using fake names from fake generators. I don’t feel bad because I need the money.”

Law enforcement agencies say teenage boys are often the prime targets of such crimes, as they are more likely to panic under threats of exposure. Some reports suggest that certain scam rings even rely on “cyber-spiritualists” — individuals who perform rituals supposedly to protect the scammers or enhance their manipulative power.

The FBI reports that cases of s3xtortion in the U.S. more than doubled between 2023 and 2024, with over 55,000 incidents recorded last year. Similarly, the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) receives an average of 110 extortion reports each month.

Tech giants like Meta and Snapchat have since pledged to strengthen online safety. Meta stated it has invested over $30 billion in protective measures, while Snapchat reiterated its “zero tolerance for s3xtortion” and commitment to cooperating with law enforcement.

However, the BBC report revealed that progress in Boettler’s case was hampered after Nigerian telecom company GloWorld failed to preserve the IP data linked to the scammer’s account.

Nearly two years after the tragedy, Evan’s parents, Kari and Brad Boettler, continue to seek justice. They are calling for stronger international collaboration to combat online sexual exploitation and protect young people from similar digital predators.