A decorated US military veteran fell victim to a sextortion scheme after sending explicit images to someone he met on FetLife, a social networking platform for fetishists, according to court documents obtained by The Independent.
The man, identified only as John Doe in a petition filed on 8 March in Kings County Supreme Court, is described as a highly accomplished soldier with multiple deployments and several awards. The petition aims to unmask the alleged blackmailer, who posed as a woman but was later revealed to be a man.
The veteran encountered the individual on FetLife in late October 2025 and moved their conversation to Telegram, where they exchanged intimate content under the assumption it would remain private. On 28 November 2025, the blackmailer demanded $500 via CashApp, threatening to send the images to the victim's Instagram contacts. When Doe did not pay, the perpetrator created fake Instagram profiles and posted the photos. Doe then sent four payments of $500 each via Zelle and CashApp, but the harassment continued, with further demands for money for rent.
The petition states that Doe now suffers from panic attacks, suicidal ideation, and extreme stress. His attorney, Zaynah Chaudhury, said on Friday that Meta and other platforms used by the extortionist – including WhatsApp, Gmail, Signal, Telegram, Zelle, and CashApp – should be compelled to reveal the perpetrator's identity so Doe can take legal action.
Chaudhury criticised Meta for allowing such exploitation to thrive, noting that the company has the data to identify the perpetrators. She said her client hopes his experience will warn others about the dangers of online sextortion schemes.
