Nigerian National Arrested in India After S€xtortion Leads to Doctor’s Suicide

A Nigerian man has been arrested in India in connection with a sextortion case that resulted in the suicide of a 37-year-old female doctor in Cuttack, Odisha. The accused, identified as 31-year-old Chijioke John Okoye, was apprehended in New Delhi on Friday, March 21, 2025, and brought to Cuttack on Sunday to face legal proceedings.

According to police, Okoye allegedly blackmailed the doctor using obscene photos he had obtained and extorted large sums of money from her. The victim, unable to cope with the constant threats and pressure, died by suicide on March 1. A note left behind by the doctor revealed she was being harassed by an unknown person through WhatsApp.

Following a complaint by her family, the Cyber Cell of the Cuttack Urban Police District launched an investigation. Authorities traced the WhatsApp communications to international numbers and collaborated with telecom service providers to identify the source. The trail led them to an IP address in New Delhi, where a special police team arrested Okoye from Palam Colony.

Commissioner of Police, Cuttack, DCP Khilari Rishikesh Dnyandeo, stated that Okoye had been residing in New Delhi since 2020 and was running a sophisticated online sextortion operation. He allegedly created fake profiles of professionals such as doctors on Facebook, used these profiles to gain trust, and then extracted private content under false pretenses. He later used this content to blackmail his victims.

In the case of the Cuttack doctor, Okoye reportedly used this same method to collect intimate photos and videos before threatening to leak them unless she paid more money. When she could no longer withstand the harassment, she took her own life.

During the arrest, police recovered a laptop, five mobile phones, and eight SIM cards from various countries. Investigators also found a passport from Côte d’Ivoire issued in Okoye’s name, which is now under verification. Authorities are working to determine whether Okoye acted alone or was part of a wider cybercrime syndicate. Over 3,000 fake profiles linked to him have been identified so far.

The police have urged the public to stay alert and report any suspicious online behavior to prevent such tragedies in the future.