A decorated US military veteran has fallen victim to an online sextortion scheme after sharing explicit images with someone he met on FetLife, a social networking platform for fetishists, according to court documents. The victim, identified only as John Doe in a petition filed in Kings County Supreme Court on March 8, is described as a highly accomplished soldier with multiple deployments and several awards.
The scheme began in late October 2025 when Doe met a person posing as a woman on FetLife. The conversation moved to Telegram, where they exchanged intimate content under the understanding it would remain private. Three days after sharing the images, on November 28, the alleged blackmailer demanded $500 via CashApp, threatening to send the photos to Doe's Instagram contacts if he did not comply.
When Doe did not pay immediately, the extortionist created two Instagram profiles impersonating him and posted the explicit images. Doe then sent four payments of $500 each to different Zelle and CashApp accounts, believing this would end the harassment. However, the demands continued, with the extortionist requesting money for rent at 4 a.m. on November 30.
The petition seeks a court order to force Meta, along with WhatsApp, Gmail, Signal, Telegram, Zelle, and CashApp, to unmask the alleged extortionist. Doe's attorney, Zaynah Chaudhury, said her client hopes his experience will warn others about such schemes, which she described as part of a thriving black market of online exploitation.
Doe now suffers from panic attacks, suicidal ideation, and deep stress about his safety and relationships, according to the petition. Chaudhury stated that Meta has the data to identify the perpetrators but has allowed this market to thrive, urging the company to provide victims with the information needed to hold criminals accountable.
