ABC NEWS 4
A Nigerian man has been extradited to the U.S. and charged with causing the death of a South Carolina teen who took his own life after the suspect posed as a woman and tried to extort the teen after he sent nude photos, prosecutors say.
The teenager was the son of South Carolina Rep. Brandon Guffey, who pushed through a state law making sextortion a felony and has been a vocal critic of how social media companies fail to protect minors from sexual exploitation and attacks online.
U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham expressed approval of the Nigerian man being charged with sextortion being extradited to the United States to stand trial.
“Gavin tragically committed suicide as a result of this sextortion scheme, and I’m grateful to the federal and state law enforcement agencies who tracked down the perpetrator of this terrible crime,” Graham said in a statement.
“I met with Gavin’s dad, South Carolina State Representative Brandon Guffey, last year when the Senate Judiciary Committee questioned Big Tech CEOs on what they are doing to protect children online. I know Brandon and his entire family are equally pleased that the alleged perpetrator will face justice.
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