During the Operation Sextorsion, the Civil Police of Minas Gerais (PCMG), in Patos de Minas, arrested three suspects of a criminal organization that demanded PIX and cryptocurrencies from victims. The action was launched last Thursday (16) at the request of the Civil Police of the Federal District (PCDF).
The trio ran a simple scam, but it had gotten the victims into trouble on the internet. That’s because they created fake profiles of women looking for app dating.
During conversations with the victims, mostly men, the scammers asked for intimate photos and videos of people. Thus began the criminal practice, asking for money so as not to leak the personal data of those who sent their content.
Operation Sextorsion Triggered By PCDF Arrest Trio That Charged PIX And Cryptocurrencies From Victims
Operation Sextorsion, launched by the Police Department for Combating Cybercrime (DRCC), had been investigating the suspects for some time, according to the PCDF.
They practiced a criminal behavior by disclosing their victims’ privacy on the internet whenever they failed to receive the agreed ransom values.
When they found a new victim, they demanded a lot of money as payment for non-leakage, via PIX or cryptocurrencies.
“In possession of this material, the cybercriminals demanded significant amounts of money via PIX or cryptocurrencies (virtual assets) in exchange for not disclosing the intimate contents.”
In the interior of Minas Gerais, two search and seizure warrants were executed with the support of the PCMG. Among those identified for criminal behavior in Patos de Minas, two men (aged 24 and 31) and a woman (aged 27) were eventually identified.
In the Federal District, a 68-year-old victim disclosed the plan to authorities, who have now ended the criminal scheme over the Internet.
Suspects face up to 29 years in prison
All material collected by the police operation will undergo criminal expertise to determine the conduct of the suspects. After that, a report to the court must show whether the suspects actually committed the crimes.
Civil police have not disclosed whether they have seized money or cryptocurrencies from the suspects, nor have they disclosed whether brokerage or bank accounts have been blocked during investigations.
Either way, criminals risk up to 29 years in prison if convicted. The crimes investigated are criminal organization, false identity, large-scale extortion and money laundering.
The crime is drawing attention in Brazil, a country that still does not record many extortion cases related to payments made with cryptocurrencies. Since 2019, sexual extortion crimes involving digital currency payments have increased globally.
To avoid falling victim to such a scam, people who have sexual encounters over the Internet should be careful about shared personal information, as well as images and videos.
Source: Live Coins
Barry Siefert is an accomplished journalist and author at The Nation View. He is known for his expertise in the field of cryptocurrency, and has written extensively on the topic. With a background in finance and economics, Barry has a deep understanding of the underlying technology and market forces that drive the crypto industry.
