From Extortion to Online Sextortion
Bjorn Samstrom, a 41 year old Swedish man, was sentenced to 10 years in prison today for the online 'rape' of 27 minors living in three different countries. What's more: Samstrom never even met them.
Extortion has been defined as the act or practice of obtaining something or compelling some action by illegal means, such as force or coercion. Sextortion is using non-physical means or coercion to obtain sexual favors from a victim. Over the internet from Uppsala, Samstrom was able to use sextortion on these minors that lived in Canada, Britain, and the United States.
Between 2015 and 2017, Samstrom met these children, all girls save for one boy, through online social networking sites. From there he threatened to post the childrens’ profile pictures on pornography web sites or, worse, threatened to kill them or their families if they didn't perform as he demanded.
In response to these threats, the children were forced to take their clothes off and penetrate themselves, and in some cases forced to involve other children or pets.
The case came to light when Swedish officials discovered video recordings during a separate investigation of Samstrom.
Samstrom’s conviction is unprecedented both in Sweden and in Canada. Annika Wennerström, one of the prosecutors involved in the case, told Canada's National Post that they recognized they were “really challenging the court” by going after a rape conviction for crimes that occurred over the internet. Under Swedish law, rape does not have to involve intercourse.
“It’s only the sexual predator’s imagination that sets the limits,” Wennerström said. “The technology knows no limits. So we have to adapt our mindset to, ‘What can a rape be?’ We say a rape can be different things. You don’t always have to have the textbook case of a physical attack or physical coercion.”
The 20 day trial took place behind closed doors, and video recordings of the victims testimonies were played to the court in lieu of their physical appearance (not something that would be allowed in the United States).
The Swedish case is similar to that of Lucas Michael Chansler, of St. Johns, Florida. Chansler pleaded guilty in 2015 to nine counts of producing child pornography. In his case, Chansler also targeted girls through social networking sites, building a trust with them and persuading them to expose themselves and perform sexually explicit conduct that he would then record.
Once he had the initial material, Chansler would threaten to put the images online or send them to their parents unless the girls provided even more graphic images. The FBI believes there are as many as 350 victims of Chansler’s actions.
"With the expansion of the internet, online profiles, social media and the ability to anonymize somebody, sextortion has really escalated in the United States and around the world," Assistant Special Agent in Charge Peter Kowenhoven said. "Because the internet is global and cuts across state lines, the victims can be found anywhere."
Though dating back as far as 1275 in England, it is clear that with technology and communications, the crime of extortion will continue to innovate as well.
Extortion has been defined as the act or practice of obtaining something or compelling some action by illegal means, such as force or coercion. Sextortion is using non-physical means or coercion to obtain sexual favors from a victim. Over the internet from Uppsala, Samstrom was able to use sextortion on these minors that lived in Canada, Britain, and the United States.Between 2015 and 2017, Samstrom met these children, all girls save for one boy, through online social networking sites. From there he threatened to post the childrens’ profile pictures on pornography web sites or, worse, threatened to kill them or their families if they didn't perform as he demanded.
In response to these threats, the children were forced to take their clothes off and penetrate themselves, and in some cases forced to involve other children or pets.
The case came to light when Swedish officials discovered video recordings during a separate investigation of Samstrom.
Samstrom’s conviction is unprecedented both in Sweden and in Canada. Annika Wennerström, one of the prosecutors involved in the case, told Canada's National Post that they recognized they were “really challenging the court” by going after a rape conviction for crimes that occurred over the internet. Under Swedish law, rape does not have to involve intercourse.
“It’s only the sexual predator’s imagination that sets the limits,” Wennerström said. “The technology knows no limits. So we have to adapt our mindset to, ‘What can a rape be?’ We say a rape can be different things. You don’t always have to have the textbook case of a physical attack or physical coercion.”
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| Lucas Michael Chansler |
The Swedish case is similar to that of Lucas Michael Chansler, of St. Johns, Florida. Chansler pleaded guilty in 2015 to nine counts of producing child pornography. In his case, Chansler also targeted girls through social networking sites, building a trust with them and persuading them to expose themselves and perform sexually explicit conduct that he would then record.
Once he had the initial material, Chansler would threaten to put the images online or send them to their parents unless the girls provided even more graphic images. The FBI believes there are as many as 350 victims of Chansler’s actions.
"With the expansion of the internet, online profiles, social media and the ability to anonymize somebody, sextortion has really escalated in the United States and around the world," Assistant Special Agent in Charge Peter Kowenhoven said. "Because the internet is global and cuts across state lines, the victims can be found anywhere."
Though dating back as far as 1275 in England, it is clear that with technology and communications, the crime of extortion will continue to innovate as well.
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