In a recent ruling by the United States District Court, a 21-year-old Ghanaian citizen, Cross Abu Cole, has been sentenced to time served—approximately seven months—after being convicted of interstate communications with intent to extort. The sentencing was delivered by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo in Buffalo, New York, and was announced by Michael DiGiacomo, the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of New York. Following his sentencing, Cole was transferred into the custody of the Department of Homeland Security.
The case, prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, centers around an incident that occurred on October 30, 2022. According to court records, Cole unlawfully accessed a Snapchat account belonging to an individual referred to as the Victim. During this unauthorized access, Cole obtained nude photographs stored on the Victim’s account.
Subsequently, Cole contacted the Victim using a Google Voice telephone number and demanded a payment of $200. He threatened to tarnish the Victim’s reputation by distributing the explicit photographs to the Victim’s family and friends if his demands were not met. In response to this coercion, the Victim initially transferred $200 via CashApp as instructed. However, the transaction was later canceled by the Victim.
Despite the cancellation of the payment, the Victim soon discovered that some of their Snapchat contacts had already received the compromising photographs. This act underscored the seriousness of Cole’s threats and added weight to the charges brought against him.
The investigation into this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), under the leadership of Special Agent in Charge Philip Tejera. The FBI’s efforts were instrumental in gathering evidence and ensuring that justice was served in this matter.
While U.S. authorities have not disclosed specific details regarding Cole’s immigration status or any ongoing proceedings related to his deportation, they have confirmed that he has been handed over to the Department of Homeland Security following his custodial sentence.
This case highlights the growing dangers of cyber extortion and underscores the importance of safeguarding personal information on digital platforms. It also serves as a reminder of the legal consequences for individuals who engage in such criminal activities. Authorities continue to urge users to adopt strong security measures for their online accounts and to report any suspicious activity to law enforcement promptly.
-By Tetteh Belinda | GhanaCrimes
