Sen. Lindsey Graham praises extradition of Nigerian man in South Carolina sextortion case
Jan 28, 2025
(WCIV) — A Nigerian man has been extradited to the U.S. and charged with causing the death of a South Carolina teen who took his own life after the suspect posed as a woman and tried to extort the teen after he sent nude photos, prosecutors say.
The teenager was the son of South Carolina Rep. Brandon Guffey, who pushed through a state law making sextortion a felony and has been a vocal critic of how social media companies fail to protect minors from sexual exploitation and attacks online.
I am very pleased that the Nigerian man charged with ‘sextorting’ Gavin Guffey has been extradited back to the United States to stand trial. Gavin tragically committed suicide as a result of this sextortion scheme, and I’m grateful to the federal and state law enforcement… https://t.co/gsN4Vo1ZJR
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) January 28, 2025
U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham expressed approval of the Nigerian man being charged with sextortion being extradited to the United States to stand trial.
“Gavin tragically committed suicide as a result of this sextortion scheme, and I’m grateful to the federal and state law enforcement agencies who tracked down the perpetrator of this terrible crime,” Graham said in a statement.
“I met with Gavin’s dad, South Carolina State Representative Brandon Guffey, last year when the Senate Judiciary Committee questioned Big Tech CEOs on what they are doing to protect children online. I know Brandon and his entire family are equally pleased that the alleged perpetrator will face justice.
“Cases like this where young people are lured into taking explicit photos, only to be extorted later, have to be dealt with. That is why I am adamant that social media companies that allow this behavior to exist be subject to liability. Right now, they aren’t.”
In a courtroom in Columbia on Monday, Guffey got to face 24-year-old Hassanbunhussein Abolore Lawal, who was brought to the U.S. from Nigeria on Saturday.
Lawal is charged with child exploitation resulting in death. He faces 30 years to life in prison if convicted. Nigeria would only extradite Lawal if the U.S. didn’t seek the death penalty.
He also is charged with the production and distribution of child sexual abuse material, coercion and enticement of a minor, cyberstalking resulting in death, and interstate threats with intent to extort.
Categories: Politics, State
Tags: South Carolina
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