A quiet Thursday in West Virginia turned tragic for the Tate family, who are now speaking out about what they describe as a rapidly expanding online crime targeting children and teens across the United States.
Fifteen-year-old Bryce Tate, a student at Nitro High School in Cross Lanes, had spent the afternoon at the gym, shared dinner with his parents, and stepped outside to play basketball. That same evening, he received a message from an unknown number — a message that would change his family’s life forever.
New from me: At 4:37pm on Nov. 6, 15-year-old Bryce Tate received a text message from a strange number. Three hours later he was dead. The FBI says 'sextortion' plots targeting teenage boys, like the one against Bryce, have quintupled in recent years. https://t.co/rMpS4xoflV
— Chadwick Moore (@Chadwick_Moore) December 9, 2025
A Father Demands Answers
Bryce’s father, Adam Tate, refuses to accept that his son’s death can be viewed as an isolated tragedy. Instead, he believes Bryce was the target of a sophisticated sextortion scheme run by online criminals who deliberately prey on minors.
Investigators told the family that scammers had contacted Bryce by posing as a teenage girl from the local area. The criminals appeared to know personal details about him — including the gym he visited, the friends he spent time with, and his position on the high school basketball team. Authorities believe the scammers used stolen photos of another teen to gain Bryce’s trust.
Once the criminals obtained compromising content, they demanded money. When Bryce offered only a small amount he had access to, the criminals bombarded him with threatening messages.
Authorities later explained that this type of rapid-fire digital harassment is designed to overwhelm young victims emotionally, making it nearly impossible for them to disengage.
A Growing National Emergency
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) reported more than 33,000 sextortion cases involving minors in 2024. Shockingly, nearly the same number of reports were recorded in the first six months of 2025 alone — signaling a staggering rise.
The FBI confirms that sextortion has become one of the fastest-growing online crimes affecting American youth. According to FBI public affairs specialist Bradford Arick, the bureau has tracked a significant spike in cases involving minors who are threatened or coerced into sharing intimate images.
Sadly, multiple families across the country have experienced similar heartbreak. Federal investigations have linked several teen deaths in recent years to online sextortion networks operating overseas and within the United States.
International Criminal Networks Exposed
Federal authorities have uncovered connections between these crimes and an online criminal group known as “764.” This network spans parts of Russia, Europe, Africa, and the U.S.
On December 3, the Department of Justice indicted five U.S.-based members of a 764 offshoot called Greggy’s Cult, including an active-duty Navy sailor. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi described the network as one of the most disturbing online exploitation groups ever identified.
Law enforcement agencies have already made significant arrests:
- Two Nigerian brothers, Samuel and Samson Ogoshi, were extradited to the U.S. and sentenced to 17 years for a sextortion scheme linked to the death of Michigan teen Jordan DeMay.
- Jonathan Kassi, 25, was sentenced to 18 months for acting as a money mule for scammers in the case of California teen Ryan Last.
The FBI reports victims as young as 11 years old.
Parents Often Unaware of the Threat
Earlier this year, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch and Deputy Commissioner Rebecca Weiner warned that dismantling sextortion networks has become a top national security priority. They noted that many parents have no idea these schemes even exist, leaving children vulnerable.
The Tate family admits they had never heard the term “sextortion” until investigators examined Bryce’s phone and referred the case to the FBI. They are now calling for nationwide awareness to prevent other families from suffering.
“This wasn’t something he chose,” Adam Tate told the New York Post. “In my eyes, this was a crime committed against him.”
A National Wake-Up Call
Families, schools, and law enforcement agencies are urging parents to talk openly with their children about online safety, emphasizing that teens should never feel ashamed or afraid to reach out for help when confronted with threatening or manipulative messages.
As sextortion cases continue to rise at alarming speed, experts warn that the best defense is awareness, education, and early intervention.
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