Waleed Saeed, a sexual predator who targeted mostly Muslim males online for blackmail, has been sentenced to 16 years in prison. Detectives fear he may have up to 70 additional victims.
Campaign of Entrapment and Extortion
Saeed’s campaign of entrapment, threats, and extortion began in 2018 and left two victims feeling suicidal due to humiliation. Police say the 31-year-old targeted individuals from culturally conservative backgrounds to exploit any shame they might feel.
He would often pose as a young woman or a transgender woman using fake online profiles, encouraging victims to send intimate pictures. He would then reveal his true identity and demand hundreds of pounds, threatening to expose them to their families or publicly.
Arrest and Conviction
Saeed, from Ilford, east London, was apprehended in 2024 after coercing a victim to meet him in an east London park, where he raped and sexually assaulted him while covering his face. He was found guilty in March and sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Friday for 17 offenses against five males, including rape, blackmail, and making indecent images of children.
Detectives from the Metropolitan Police believe Saeed had many more victims, ranging from mid-teens to their 20s. Searches of his electronic devices uncovered scores of pictures of men, leading detectives to believe there may be 50 to 70 additional victims. Some remain unidentified as police only have intimate images without faces or real usernames.
Detectives also reviewed similar unsolved or closed cases and found 24 with offending details similar enough to suspect Saeed may be involved. They believe the potential scale of further victims could range from the 70s to 90s. He was sentenced for targeting five victims, including two teenagers aged 15 and 17.
Impact on Victims
Judge Timothy Greene noted that Saeed, who held a university degree, was “adept at turning the psychological screw” on his victims, enjoying the power he gained and leaving them in “terror” of exposure. After raping one victim in a park, Saeed reportedly said “that’s all for today” and walked off.
One victim told the court he paid over £3,600 in total, fearing ostracism from family and friends. He said, “The shame I felt by letting this happen to me is something I will have to live with for the rest of my life.”
Police Appeal
DC Peter Collington of the Metropolitan Police, leading the investigation, said: “Our investigation has led us to believe that the true scale of his offending is likely to be significantly wider. The pattern of offending we have uncovered is deeply disturbing and shows a level of deliberate manipulation and cruelty that has caused immense harm to innocent men.”
Collington urged potential victims to contact police, promising sensitivity and support. “Following his sentence, I am making a direct appeal to other victim-survivors who may not have had the confidence to come forward, to please contact us. I want to say this clearly to potential victims out there: that what has happened to you was not your fault,” he said.
Saeed lured victims on Snapchat, Grindr, and Twitter using aliases like “Trans Girl Leah”, “amzyyyy09.”, “blsup”, and “ComeDeal”. Police say he used over 100 online aliases, with victims believed to be in London and across the UK.
His arrest followed the rape of an 18-year-old man in a London park in August 2024. The victim had exchanged sexual images with someone they believed was a transgender woman. A different account then demanded money, threatening to release the photos. The victim could not pay and was coerced into meeting Saeed, who sexually assaulted and raped him three times.
Anyone with information should call police on 101, quoting 5335/18JUNE2026.
