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Four Arrested in Côte d’Ivoire for Sextortion Scheme Linked to California Teen’s Suicide

The suspects will face prosecution under Ivorian cybercrime laws for their roles in an international operation targeting thousands, including 17-year-old Ryan Last, who died in 2022.

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Overview

  • Ryan Last, a 17-year-old from California, died by suicide in 2022 after being sextorted online by someone posing as a young woman demanding money to suppress explicit images.
  • Ivorian police arrested Alfred Kassi, Oumarou Ouedraogo, Moussa Diaby, and Oumar Cisse in April 2025 for their involvement in the sextortion scheme targeting victims across multiple countries.
  • Evidence found on Kassi’s phone at the time of his arrest linked him directly to the extortion of Last, including payment demands and messages threatening to disseminate photos.
  • Due to Côte d’Ivoire’s non-extradition policy, the suspects will be prosecuted domestically under the country’s cybercrime statutes, with ongoing collaboration between U.S. and Ivorian agencies.
  • The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations have reported a sharp rise in sextortion cases, with over 13,000 incidents involving minors logged between 2021 and 2023, resulting in at least 20 suicides.