Home » San Jose Police Arrests Suspect for Sextortion Case

San Jose Police Arrests Suspect for Sextortion Case

Press Release

by CC News
San Jose Police

On February 26th, 2022, the San Jose Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force initiated an investigation into a West African financial sextortion scheme.

San José Police ICAC identified Jonathan Kassi as a person involved in the sextortion of a 17-year-old resident of San José, which resulted in his suicide. SJPD ICAC Task Force Detectives subsequently obtained an arrest warrant for the suspect.

On December 15, 2022, suspect Kassi was taken into custody in Van Nuys by the Los Angeles Police Department. SJPD ICAC Task Force Detectives transported suspect Kassi to San José where he was booked at Santa Clara County Main Jail for extortion and attempted disorderly conduct – posting of a photograph or recording without consent.

Suspect Kassi sexually exploited children online utilizing the usernames “emillysmith” and “kassijonathan” on various social media applications.

Detectives believe there could be additional victims due to the suspect’s criminal pattern and use of social media to target minors. Anyone with information about this case, or other cases involving Jonathan Kassi is asked to contact Sergeant Pierce #3415 of the San José Police Department’s ICAC Unit at (408) 537-1397 or e-mail [email protected].

Submit crime tips and remain anonymous by using the P3TIPS mobile app, calling the tip line at (408) 947-STOP, or on www.svcrimestoppers.org. If the information you submit leads to an arrest, you are eligible for a cash reward from the Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers Program.

Editors Note:

FBI San Francisco Warns of Increase in Sextortion Schemes Targeting Young Boys

May 5, 2022

SAN FRANCISCO—The San Francisco Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is warning parents and caregivers about an increase in incidents involving sextortion of young children. The FBI is receiving an increasing number of reports of adults posing as young girls coercing young boys through social media to produce sexual images and videos and then extorting money from them.

Sextortion begins when an adult contacts a minor over any online platform used to meet and communicate, such as a game, app, or social media account. In a scheme that has recently become more prevalent, the predator (posing as a young girl) uses deception and manipulation to convince a young male, usually 14 to 17 years old, to engage in explicit activity over video, which is then secretly recorded by the predator. The predator then reveals that they have made the recordings and attempts to extort the victim for money to prevent them from being posted online. Many of the subjects are overseas and will often demand money in increasing amounts if any is sent during the initial request. — Full release

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FBI and Partners Issue National Public Safety Alert on Financial Sextortion Schemes December 19, 2022 - 10:15 am

[…] This release comes as San Jose Police Arrests Suspect for Sextortion Case — see announcement. […]

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