Interpol warns of rising sextortion by West African groups targeting minors, details global crackdown
Interpol has issued a warning about an increase in sextortion cases by West African organized crime groups, with victims as young as 14. These groups typically contact minors on social media, build trust, and then coerce them into sharing explicit content, which is later used for blackmail. Some syndicates outsource activities like money laundering through the dark web. An eight-month operation, Jackal IV, conducted from November 2025 to June 2026, led to 58 arrests and identified 263 suspects across 22 countries. This operation targeted money laundering, cyber-enabled financial fraud, and other serious crimes by groups like Black Axe. In Argentina, 196 individuals were identified in a Crime-as-a-Service network providing website domains and money laundering support, leading to 17 arrests. In South Africa, authorities raided seven locations in Johannesburg, arresting 39 individuals and seizing $2.67 million, freezing 257 bank accounts. This syndicate ran romance and investment scams targeting retirees in English-speaking countries, with 25 call-center agents arrested on January 27, 2026, for contravening the FAIS Act. The investigation was prompted by 43 victims in Australia, with victims also identified in the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, and New Zealand. Further arrests were made in Italy and Romania.