Between August 20 and September 5, a group of four men from Delaware found themselves in serious legal trouble as they faced federal charges for their alleged involvement in a widespread “sextortion” scheme.
This scheme, which spanned the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, is said to have targeted thousands of victims.
The Accused and Their Alleged Crimes
The federal indictment, unsealed today, names Sidi Diakite (30), Almamy Diaby (22), Abdul Aziz Sangare (26), and Abdoul Aziz Traore (31)—all from Wilmington—as key figures in this international operation.
Alongside other conspirators, they are accused of running a financially motivated scheme involving sextortion and money laundering.
The operation allegedly included cyberstalking, interstate threats, extortion, and wire fraud.
The conspirators purportedly tried to extort around $6.9 million, managing to successfully acquire about $1.9 million through payment methods like CashApp and Apple Pay.
Additional Charges and International Connections
Hadja Kone (28), also from Wilmington, is charged as well, having been previously arrested in April.
Siaka Ouattara (22) from Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, was separately detained in February by Ivorian authorities on related charges.
The indictment accuses these individuals of posing as young females online to lure victims—primarily young men and minors—from the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.
They allegedly engaged in sexual chats and recorded victims without their consent.
These recordings were then used to blackmail the victims, threatening to release the images unless money was transferred to the conspirators.
Legal Proceedings and Potential Penalties
Diakite, Diaby, Sangare, Traore, Kone, and Ouattara are facing serious charges, including conspiracy to commit cyberstalking, money laundering, and wire fraud.
Each charge carries a potential maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
A federal district court judge will determine the exact sentences, taking into account various factors and the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Investigations and Prosecution
The case is under investigation by the FBI, with support from the government of Cote d’Ivoire.
The prosecution is led by Trial Attorney Austin M. Berry from the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Senior Trial Attorney Mona Sedky from the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Briana Knox.
Reporting Sextortion
If you or someone you know is a victim of sextortion, it’s important to seek help.
Contact your local FBI field office, call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), or report online at the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
Additional information and resources are available at the FBI’s Financially Motivated Sextortion page.
For details specific to this case, visit the Justice Department’s website.
Remember, an indictment is only an accusation.
The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
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