Grand Rapids, Mich. — A South Carolina man has been found guilty in connection with a “sextortion” scheme that resulted in a Kent County man’s tragic suicide. Glenn Daeward Boyd, 36, was convicted by a federal jury on charges of attempted extortion, stalking, and five counts of wire fraud, according to an announcement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan.
Boyd, who was serving time in a South Carolina prison at the time of the crimes, used the popular dating application Plenty of Fish to pose as an 18-year-old woman named “Jad” from Grand Rapids. The scheme began on August 2, 2023, when Boyd, under the guise of Jad, initiated contact with the victim, a man residing in Kent County. Just two days later, “Jad” revealed that she was actually a 15-year-old girl.
Boyd, pretending to be the girl’s grandparents, then threatened the victim with the dire consequence of being exposed as a pedophile unless he paid money to avoid public humiliation. In an effort to intensify the pressure, Boyd also made a Facebook post linked to the victim’s account, writing: “He is a pedophile. I have all the evidence if anyone wants to see it.”
The victim, feeling overwhelmed and trapped by the threats, reported the incident to authorities. However, he tragically took his own life shortly thereafter. The case has highlighted the devastating impact that online extortion can have on its victims.
Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew Birge expressed his condemnation of Boyd’s actions, stating, “Perpetrators like Mr. Boyd who attempt to extort people online using sexual exploitation will be held accountable, and cannot hide behind their cell phones and computers. We will continue to investigate and prosecute these crimes that often result in tragedy.”
Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan, Cheyvoryea Gibson, called Boyd “a financially driven sextortionist,” emphasizing the dangers posed by such online predators.
Boyd now faces significant prison time, with potential sentences of up to 20 years for attempted extortion, 5 years for stalking, and 20 years for each of the five wire fraud counts.
In light of the case, the FBI is urging the public to be cautious when interacting with strangers online, especially when someone asks to move to a less traceable platform. Authorities also advise individuals to be mindful of the information and images they share online, as they may lose control of their private content once it is shared.
The FBI encourages anyone who is a victim of sextortion, or knows someone who may be, to report the behavior to authorities at 1-800-CALL-FBI or online at tips.fbi.gov.
