A 21-year-old man from Hackney, East London, Richard Ehiemere, has been convicted for his involvement in an online child abuse and blackmail ring targeting teenage girls. Authorities found that Ehiemere was hoarding indecent images of children and was part of a criminal network that pressured youngsters into sending explicit photos.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) began investigating Ehiemere in January 2021 after suspicious activity was flagged on Discord related to CVLT, a notorious dark web ‘Com’ network known for sharing misogynistic and harmful content. CVLT members, mostly young men, sought to increase their status by engaging in shocking and illegal actions.
Using the alias “Retaliate#1337,” Ehiemere accessed CVLT channels more than 380 times. He traded stolen email and password combinations and shared illegal child images. Investigators discovered 29 indecent images on his phone, classified from category A to C.
In addition to his phone, Ehiemere possessed a computer containing 142 stolen combo lists and used VPN software such as ExpressVPN and NordVPN to conceal his identity during these crimes.
The CVLT group targeted teenage girls on social media by creating fake profiles to pressure them into sending intimate photos. Those who resisted were threatened with ‘doxxing,’ the release of personal information online. Victims were coerced into sharing increasingly explicit images and forced into group calls to perform sexual acts or self-harm. In some disturbing cases, victims were pushed to attempt suicide on camera.
Ehiemere was convicted following a high-profile seven-day trial at Aldersgate Nightingale Court. He is scheduled to be sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court on May 1.
Steve Laval, Senior Investigating Officer at the NCA’s Cyber Crime Unit, stated, “Richard Ehiemere was a key enabler for this harmful online group, providing stolen data which they could use to defraud hundreds of victims. Com networks like CVLT are dangerous online environments built on extremist and misogynistic ideologies promoting violence against women and girls. The NCA and police are committed to rooting out these groups, removing harmful content, and educating parents and educators to spot deviant behaviour.”
Originally published by UKNIP.
