Four Arrested After California Teen Dies by Suicide in Global Sextortion Scheme

Ryan Last, of San Jose, California, took his own life in February. The case became a symbol for the rise in 'sextortionists' targeting kids, especially teenage boys

Four men have been arrested in connection with the death of 17-year-old Ryan Last, a high school senior from California who tragically took his own life after falling victim to a sextortion scheme originating in West Africa.

Last, a straight-A student at Ann Sobrato High School in Morgan Hill, believed he was communicating with a 20-year-old woman online. After being manipulated into sending intimate photos of himself, he was blackmailed by scammers who demanded money to prevent the images from being shared online. Within hours of receiving the threats, Last died by suicide in February 2022.

The high school senior had finished visiting colleges when he was contacted by a scammer pretending to be a girl

Authorities revealed on May 9 that the sextortion operation had targeted thousands of victims, including minors, across the United States, Canada, and Europe. The investigation, led by the San Jose Police Department and the FBI with support from Meta, resulted in the arrest of ringleader Alfred Kassi in Côte d’Ivoire on April 29.

At the time of his arrest, Kassi reportedly still had the messages he used to extort Ryan Last saved on his phone. Three additional men were also arrested: Oumarou Ouedraogo for money laundering, and Moussa Diaby and Oumar Cisse for their roles in the sextortion scheme.

Last's death in February 2022 sparked an investigation which has now led to the arrest of 'sextortion' ringleader Alfred Kassi and three associates in the Ivory Coast

Another man, Jonathan Kassi—unrelated to Alfred Kassi—was previously convicted in California in 2023 and sentenced to 18 months in jail for his involvement in the case.

Due to Côte d’Ivoire’s laws prohibiting the extradition of its own citizens, the suspects will be prosecuted under Ivorian cybercrime statutes.

Ryan’s mother, Pauline Stuart, has spoken publicly about her son’s tragic death, emphasizing that the scammers gained his trust by pretending to be someone they weren’t. "They catfished my son and gained his trust through flirting and showing interest," she said in a statement shared by police. Stuart described Ryan as a trusting teen who had been preparing to attend Washington State University.

Ryan's mother, Pauline, pictured with him, said her family is heartbroken, but she is thankful to law enforcement for finally tracking down the man allegedly responsible for her son's death

"He believed his reputation would be destroyed, and he was terrified of what his friends and family would think," she said. "He chose to end his life, rather than have the pictures distributed on social media."

Ryan left behind a heartbreaking note apologizing for "not being smarter," and paid the scammers $150—money he took from his college fund—before they continued demanding more.

His family was unaware of the blackmail until after his death. "There's no other word but 'evil' for me that they care much more about money than a child's life," said Stuart. "I don't want anybody else to go through what we did."

Ryan's parents, Pauline and Hagen, have become advocates speaking out against 'sextortion' scams targeting teen boys.

Ryan’s father echoed the sentiment in a public statement, noting, "We thought we did everything correctly protecting our boys from online threats. But Ryan still became the victim of an online scam that ended with blackmail."

He continued, "In the end, he got so embarrassed and scared that he only saw one way out. We want to help ensure that this never happens to another family. And the best way to do that is to help educate parents and children about what dangers exist on the internet."

The FBI has warned that sextortion scams are increasing dramatically. In 2024 alone, the agency’s Internet Crime Complaint Center reported over 54,000 victims, up from 34,000 in 2023.