An Indonesian man in his 20s was arrested for grooming and extorting a 15-year-old Swedish girl. He coerced her into sending intimate images and videos, threatening to release them unless paid. Despite confessing, he avoided severe punishment by apologizing, as the victim's family did not press charges in Indonesia.
Indonesian Man Apologizes After Grooming Swedish Teen
Indonesian Man Apologizes After Grooming Swedish Teen
Police have arrested a man in Indonesia suspected of grooming a 15-year-old girl in Sweden. He threatened to distribute her intimate photos and videos online, according to Indonesian media reports. The man confessed but ultimately got away with an apology, according to Indonesian police.
An Indonesian man in his 20s has been arrested on suspicion of extortion and grooming a girl in Sweden. He allegedly built an online relationship with the girl, who is around 15 years old, and persuaded her to send intimate photos and videos, reports the Jakarta Post and other Indonesian media.
She sent him ten intimate photos and ten intimate video clips from July last year to July this year, according to police. He is then suspected of demanding money from her to prevent the photos and videos from being spread.
Reported to Police in Sweden
The victim's mother reported the man to the police in Sweden, and Swedish authorities contacted the Indonesian embassy in Stockholm and Interpol, Indonesian media reports.
"He has admitted his actions during police questioning," says police spokesperson Yuliyanto in the East Kalimantan district on Borneo, Indonesia, to the Jakarta Post.
The suspect first contacted the girl in Sweden last year via the popular online gaming platform Roblox, according to police.
Built Online Relationship
"Initially, they communicated through a game with a chat function. Then they switched to email and Discord, a messaging platform," says Commissioner Ariansyah, head of the cybercrime division at the East Kalimantan police.
He adds that the man built an emotional relationship with the girl and gained her trust when he asked her to send photos and videos. He then demanded she send him the equivalent of 5,000 kronor to prevent the material from being spread online.
"The victim's mother eventually sent 50 dollars, but no further payments were made," he says.
Escaped with an Apology
Police began the investigation in June and arrested the man at his residence. They seized his computer and mobile phones and found that he had many accounts on gaming platforms and social media.
The suspect faced up to six years in prison for distributing pornographic material and extortion. However, Indonesian authorities took a lenient approach because the victim had not reported him in Indonesia—and because he did not spread the images.
The victim's family agreed not to press charges. Indonesian authorities required the suspect to formally apologize to the victim and her family, Indonesian media reports.