The FTC announced on October 13 that a federal court has temporarily shut down Digital Forensics Corporation LLC and its CEO, Dmitry Belkin, over an alleged scheme that took at least $60 million over three years from people who were being sexually extorted online.
The company sold "sextortion assistance" — location tracking, contact with the extortionist, investigative and law-enforcement reports — charging $1,499 to $20,000 for "Phase 1" services. The FTC alleges the services were often never performed, the investigative reports included fabricated chat transcripts, and glowing reviews came from the company's own employees in India or paid Uber drivers who never used the service. The complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio on a 2-0 commission vote.
Why it matters: Financial sextortion is the fastest-growing cybercrime targeting children and young men. If your family is targeted, do not pay "recovery" firms — free verified alternatives exist: NCMEC's Take It Down (underage victims) and StopNCII.org (adults). Report the extortion to the FBI at ic3.gov.
