CUTTACK: The Commissionerate Police has arrested a Nigerian national for allegedly blackmailing and extorting money from a woman of the city, who, unable to bear the humiliation, died by suicide on March 1.
The accused, 31-year-old Djedje Raymond alias Chijioke John Okoye was nabbed from New Delhi on Friday. Police said Okoye had been staying in the national capital since 2020. He was brought to Cuttack on Sunday to be produced in the court here.
Briefing media persons, DCP Khilari Rishikesh Dnyandeo said the suicide note left by the victim, a 37-year-old, revealed she took the drastic step after being repeatedly blackmailed and threatened to pay money by some unknown person(s) on WhatsApp.
Basing on the complaint lodged by her family, the cyber cell of Cuttack Urban Police District started its investigation. The cops ascertained that the WhatsApp numbers used to contact the victim were international and got in touch with the telecom service provider to get their details. Subsequently, the IP address was traced to New Delhi and a special police team reached the city and nabbed the accused from Palam Colony there.
Accused created over 3,000 fake profiles on Facebook, impersonated professionals
Revealing the modus operandi of the accused, the DCP said Okoye used to survey various online Facebook accounts of professionals like doctors and managed to steal their identity by creating fake profiles and impersonating them.
“He used those fake profiles to send friend requests to other profiles in similar domains. After developing friendship with them, he cunningly used them to obtain their mobile and WhatsApp numbers on the pretext of having a relationship with them.
Subsequently, the accused managed to collect private and intimate photographs/videos of the victims by sharing fake photos/videos of the persons he impersonated. He then used them to blackmail the victims,” Khilari said.
Okoye allegedly used similar tactics to get in touch with the Cuttack woman. He had allegedly obtained intimate photos and videos of the victim and used them to extort money from her. “When the accused kept demanding more money by threatening to make her private pictures and videos viral, the victim got scared and finding no other way ended her life,” police said and added till now, around 3,000 fake profiles being run by the accused have been traced.
“A laptop, five mobile phones and eight SIM cards of different countries have been seized from him. Though he belongs to Nigeria, a passport of ‘REPUBLIQUE DE COTE D’IVORIE’ issued in the name of Okoye was found in his possession and is under verification. He will be taken on remand for further investigation to ascertain whether he was operating alone or working as part of a larger cyber crime syndicate,” said Khilari.
The DCP urged people to remain vigilant and report any suspicious online activities to prevent such type of a tragic incident.