Washington man admits to extortion using fake escort profiles

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Washington man admits to extortion using fake escort profiles

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia

A Washington man has admitted to extorting clients through fake online escort profiles, according to a recent court announcement. Abdul Kareem Kabba, 29, pleaded guilty in Alexandria, Virginia, after using images from OnlyFans to create fraudulent escort profiles on websites like TheEroticReview.com. Kabba impersonated escorts and communicated with potential clients, requesting deposits via peer-to-peer payment platforms or sites used by adult content creators.

Kabba also demanded that clients verify their identities by sending photos of themselves with identification and links to their social media profiles. Once he received the deposit and identifying information, Kabba threatened the clients with exposure unless they paid additional money. His scheme resulted in a total loss of $692,000 for his victims.

Sentencing is scheduled for April 9, where Kabba faces up to 20 years in prison. However, federal sentences are usually less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will decide the sentence based on U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The announcement was made by Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and John T. Perez from the Office of Inspector General of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (FRB-CFPB OIG), following Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr.'s acceptance of the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hood and Trial Attorney Babasijibomi Moore are prosecuting this case.

Further details can be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia or through PACER by searching Case No. 1:24-cr-263.