Feds Shut Down $60M Sextortion Scam After Investigation

The Federal Trade Commission just shut down a company that turned victims' darkest moments into profit, and it's opening the door for real help to reach people in crisis.

Digital Forensics Corporation promised to remove intimate images from the internet for sextortion victims. Instead, the Ohio company allegedly scammed more than $60 million from desperate customers over three years, charging between $1,499 and $20,000 for services they rarely delivered.

The FTC's action came after USA TODAY exposed the company's aggressive tactics in 2025. Reporters uncovered more than 100 complaints and interviewed three dozen customers who shared similar stories of broken promises and mounting bills.

Sextortion has become the fastest growing cybercrime targeting children and young men in North America. Scammers, often working from overseas, threaten to publish nude or sexual images unless victims pay. The fear and shame drive many victims to companies like DFC rather than free resources.

FTC investigators went undercover, posing as victims to document the company's pressure tactics. They discovered offices spanning six countries and a systematic effort to suppress negative reviews while creating thousands of fake positive ones.

"Digital Forensics preys on consumers already in crisis, exploiting victims of sextortion by using fear to pressure them into paying thousands of dollars for services that are never provided," said Christopher Mufarrige, director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection.

The Bright Side

This enforcement action does more than stop one bad actor. It shines a light on free resources that actually work.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children offers Take It Down, a completely free service for underage victims to remove private content from social media. Victims over 18 can use StopNCII.org, which provides the same help at no cost.

The FTC froze the company's assets and is seeking monetary damages for victims. Owner Dmitry Belkin and his affiliates face charges of violating multiple federal consumer protection laws.

Young people facing this nightmare now have clearer paths to real help. Law enforcement is watching companies in this space more closely. And families know where to turn when crisis strikes.

Help exists, it's free, and it works.