Bronx Woman Allegedly Catfished 'Wealthy And High-Profile Men' To Extort Money From Them

A New York woman targeted "wealthy and high-profile men" in a catfishing and extortion scheme, state prosecutors said Thursday.

Sakoya Blackwood, of the Bronx, was charged with one count each of making interstate communications with intent to extort, cyberstalking and extortion, the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York said in a statement.

The 34-year-old used multiple online identities to target multiple "wealthy and high-profile men" as part of a catfishing and extortion scheme, prosecutors alleged.

Among Blackwood's victims was a Chief Executive Officer of a publicly traded company, identified in an indictment only as "Victim-1."

Blackwood threatened to release sexually explicit photographs and communications involving Victim-1 with the intent to extort, U.S. attorneys claimed.

She allegedly sent Victim-1 "numerous intimidating and threatening text messages" as part of a harassment campaign.

"[Blackwood] also used threats of economic and reputational harm from the release of the sexually explicit communications and photographs in an attempt to obtain payments from Victim-1," according to the statement on the website of the Department of Justice.

Blackwood was arrested Wednesday, and she was presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jennifer Willis in federal court in Manhattan. Her case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman.

She faces a maximum sentence of two years in prison for her interstate communications with intent to extort charge, five for cyberstalking and 20 for extortion.

The case against Blackwood is being handled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) Violent and Organized Crime Unit.

Assistant United States Attorneys Mollie Bracewell and Justin Rodriguez are in charge of the prosecution.

New York prosecutors have urged Blackwood's other victims to contact the FBI.

"No one should have to fear public humiliation and financial loss from the release of personal, private information. As alleged, Sakoya Blackwood created that very fear and sought to capitalize on it for her own personal gain. I commend the victim for reporting this alleged criminal activity and encourage anyone else who believes they may have been a victim of this scheme to contact the FBI," U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in the statement.

"Most people hope for a personal human connection in life, and scam artists twist that desire into illicit schemes to steal more than hearts. We believe Blackwood used [the] tactics we allege in this indictment to blackmail and extort money from other victims. We are asking those people to contact us, so we can help them but also to ensure no one else ever falls victim to Blackwood's alleged deception," FBI Assistant Director Michael J. Driscoll added.