A California man has been arrested for allegedly taking money from a 17-year-old boy and threatening to post sexually explicit photos and videos of him – a “sextortion” scheme that authorities say led to the teenager’s suicide.
Jonathan Kassi, 25, was arrested Thursday within the Van Nuys neighborhood of Los Angeles before being sent to the Santa Clara County Jail on charges of extortion and attempted disorderly conduct, San Jose police said.
Kassi allegedly posed as a teenager named “Emily Smith” to trick the boys into sending sexually explicit photos and videos.
Police said he sexually abused children on several social media platforms under fake accounts with the usernames “emillysmith” and “kassijonathan”.
Kassi was allegedly involved within the “sextortion” of Ryan Last, a 17-year-old from San Jose who died by suicide after Kassi allegedly posed as a teenager and convinced him to share a horny photo of himself online. NBC Bay area.
![Jonathan Kassi](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/jonathan-kassi-booking-mugshot-feature.jpg?w=1024)
After Last shared the photo, Kassi threatened to send the compromising photo to his family and friends unless Last paid $5,000. Kassi allegedly took the blackmail money from the boys and sent it to a co-conspirator in Ivory Coast, Africa, police said.
According to the police, Last sent some money, however it wasn’t enough. Kassi demanded that he send more cash, prompting Last to take his own life last spring.
Recently, he was only days away from turning 18 and weeks away from graduating from Ann Sobrato High School.
![Ryan Last](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/ryan-last-sextortion-victim-05.jpg?w=864)
This week, the FBI warned of a large increase in teenage boys being targeted by online and extortion attacks after being tricked into sending sexually explicit photos to scammers.
A minimum of 3,000 children, mostly teenage boys, have fallen victim to programs linked to greater than a dozen suicides this 12 months, according to Justice Department officials.
Most of the victims are between 14 and 17 years old, but children as young as 10 have been targeted in similar attacks. The FBI said it’s issuing a national public safety alert as children are likely to spend more time online and schools can be closed for the winter break.
![Ryan Last](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/ryan-last-sextortion-victim-03.jpg?w=1020)
Kassi will appear in Santa Clara County Court for the primary time on Monday to file an appeal.