A twisted online predator, Abdul Elahi, is set to face years in prison after deceiving nearly 2,000 victims across the world into horrific sexual abuse. The National Crime Agency (NCA) described this case as one of the sickest they have ever uncovered.
Elahi, from Sparkhill, Birmingham, posed as wealthy men on sugar daddy websites to lure victims. He blackmailed individuals into abusing themselves, siblings, and even children as young as eight months old. He sold vile footage as ‘box sets’ to other paedophiles and offered ‘master classes’ on Telegram to help offenders avoid police detection.
The victims included at least 196 residents of the UK, 1,367 women in the United States, and others across 20 countries including Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.
Elahi targeted vulnerable people, including those in debt or too young to be on the websites. He promised thousands of pounds for explicit images, using fake bank screenshots to gain their trust. He then moved victims to WhatsApp chats, where he blackmailed them with threats to expose images unless they sent more. His control forced victims into self-harm, child abuse, and sickening acts against siblings, with many complying out of fear.
The predator systematically stored and sold abuse material via cloud services and Telegram, earning over £25,000. His crimes devastated victims and their families, who were also subjected to repeated blackmail attempts from other offenders.
Elahi admitted a range of horrendous charges at Birmingham Crown Court, including blackmail and possession of over 65,000 indecent images, some depicting babies being raped. The NCA arrested him in December 2018 following a tip-off about blackmailing a 15-year-old girl in the US. The investigation involved multiple countries and international cooperation, including the FBI.
Elahi’s co-defendant, Kirsty Nicholls, also admitted sexual assaults and making indecent images. Both are due to be sentenced in September.
“Elahi sought sexual gratification through power and control. He showed zero empathy, often pushing victims to the brink of suicide,” said Tony Cook, NCA Head of CSA Operations. “These offences can happen to anyone. We urge parents to talk to their children about online dangers and victims to come forward.”
Sophie Mortimer from the Revenge Porn Helpline added, “The cruelty in this content is beyond extreme. It’s violent, degrading and life-changing for victims.”
If you believe you were targeted by Elahi or have information, contact the NCA at [email protected].
Originally published by UKNIP.
