Fraud, extortion and sextortion on rise in North Carolina, according to DOJ

Investigators and staff with North Carolina's Department of Justice warned state leaders this September that cases of fraud and extortion, in large part due to advancements in technology, are rising in the state. Just before Labor Day, representatives from the North Carolina Attorney General's office briefed other state leaders at the quarterly Governor's Crime Commission meeting. Other WRAL Top Stories Citing multiple sources and reporting agencies-- including the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Federal Trade Commission-- DOJ presenters warned that fraud and extortion were on the rise in North Carolina. Cases of fraud, embezzlement, and extortion all rose between 2020 and 2024. Instances of fraud rose by more than 10% over than four year window, while extortion rose by 108% in that same period of time. The rise in fraud and extortion-specific cases spoke to a larger theme: the internet used as a tool to perpetrate crimes against North Carolinians. In 2025, residents reported a record $432 million in losses tied to internet crimes through the FBI's IC3 portal. That represents a 372% increase since 2021. Advancements in technology, they cited, allowed fraud schemes to quickly reach more people by accounting for: More targets: across social media, gaming and messaging platforms Better targeting: data breaching makes impersonation more precise Added pressure: scripts and fake authority 'move' victims before they verify Faster payments: irreversible transfers move money beyond recovery Men younger than 30 years old, their research showed, are the fastest-growing victim demographic for extortion. Nigerian men extradited to the U.S. for sextortion charges resulting in a juvenile's death The FBI says two Nigerian men have been extradited to the United States for a sextortion scam targeting children, including cases in North Carolina. Adebola Festus Adekunle, 26, and Mudasiru Afeez Olawale, 24, both of Nigeria, were arrested in 2023 as part of a wider operation with the FBI to apprehend sexual extortionists targeting minors in the United States. 'These get a little more press; the extreme lengths we have to go to to hold them accountable and extradite them from a foreign country back to the United States," Special Agent in Charge FBI Charlotte Reid Davis says. "They get a little more attention because of the nature, but these are happening all over the place. No juvenile is safe from these types of acts.' The FBI alleges the suspects pretended to be a love interest for the juveniles and solicited lewd photos. After they got the photos, they'd threaten to release them publicly unless they paid a ransom. Davis says, in some cases, the cases go from extortion to something more tragic. Olawale's most serious charge is for sexual exploitation of minors resulting in death. 'We've seen a number of victims who, after not paying up, go to extreme ends to commit suicide as their only option out of the situation they're in,' Davis said. Davis said that parents should contact them immediately if a situation like this occurs. 'Knowing, as parents, knowing who your child is communicating with," Reid says, speaking on tips for parents. "If you've never met the person your child is communicating with. It may not be a real child or a real person."