Natalie Eilbert
Less than 50 days into 2026, Wisconsin has already been tipped off to 111 sextortion cases happening across the state – more than two incidents per day.
That number is a reflection of why sextortion is the fastest-growing cybercrime targeting children in North America.
It's also especially disturbing, said Jesse Crowe, a special agent at the Wisconsin Department of Justice, because it continues the steep year-over-year climb of reported cases in Wisconsin. Crowe also cautioned that the number of cases could be much higher, given the numbers reflect tips pulled from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's CyberTipline, and don't include cases from law enforcement.
According to Crowe, there were more than 170 reported Wisconsin cases in 2023, the first year state agencies started tracking for this specific crime. In 2024, it climbed to a little more than 230 reported cases. Then, in 2025, Wisconsin tallied 650 reported sextortion crimes. At the current rate, 2026 is on pace to approach 850 cases in Wisconsin.
In other words, cases in Wisconsin have quadrupled over a three-year period and have led to two known suicides: Landon Weigelt, 17, of Oconto, and Braydon Bohn, 15, of Kronenwetter, outside of Wausau.
Bohn's death on March 5, 2025, prompted lawmakers to fast-track a bill recognizing sextortion as a crime, with felony murder charges against any cases ending in suicide. That law, Crowe said, has made it possible to prosecute people for any sextortion case that causes death. Bohn's parents tirelessly advocated for the passage of the bill.
Sextortion is a form of child sexual exploitation that involves threatening or blackmailing children, often after tricking them into sending them nude or sexual images, although images don't necessarily need to be sent. The scammers threaten to go public with their photos if they don't comply with their demands, which sometimes involve money, sexual activities or sending additional sexual content.
"There's a lot of victim blaming and shaming out there. One of the huge messages we try and get out there is that it is not these children's fault. It's not the parents fault either," said Crowe, commander of the Wisconsin Internet Crimes Against Children task force. "They are victims of crimes. They have been tricked into doing something against their will."
Why are the numbers rising so quickly?
Part of the steep rise in sextortion cases has to do with state-led Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task forces pushing for more public information, Crowe said. By doing outreach and education campaigns on sextortion, that has given more people knowledge of what to be on the lookout for, not to mention access to the CyberTipline.
For the first time, too, online companies are doing more to scan their networks to identify and report suspicious user accounts to the CyberTipline.
But there's also no bottom to the internet. It's a vast network with seemingly endless access points for criminal behaviors. If you're able to connect with anybody, Crowe said, that means anyone, including people who are intent on causing harm.
How do criminals find children to sextort?
Perpetrators send out mass quantities of friend requests to groups they intend on targeting, Crowe said. And once they get someone willing to engage, they build rapport and establish trust.
Once that happens, they'll have the child switch to another platform to continue their conversation, one that is more secure. Sometimes, these platforms use disappearing messages. Sometimes, they have end-to-end encryption, which makes it extremely hard for outside parties to track conversations taking place.
"That's when the actual sextortion starts to happen. They've already built their rapport and a seeming friendship with that potential victim," Crowe said.
Are any apps more common than others for sextorting children?
Crowe said he's seen these crimes take place across all platforms, which is what makes it particularly scary. His task force has seen these crimes take place on popular social media sites, but also blog sites and gaming apps.
Naming one app over another isn't necessarily helpful, Crowe said.
"We want to focus on the actual behavior itself, because we want people to use the internet responsibly," Crowe said.
Are there any patterns to who is committing sextortion crimes?
Many sextortion cases come from international organizations, Crowe said, and both domestic and international suspects have been identified.
Further, "organizations" in some cases is a generous categorization. Sometimes it's just two people in a country colluding on these crimes. Other times, it's a criminal enterprise doing this as a massive money maker.
How can I protect my children or students from being sextorted?
Start the conversation about online safety with your child, and do it early and often, Crowe said. Many children are using tablets at very young ages.
Emphasize the importance of online safety and how to responsibly use technology.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has tip sheets to help parents and guardians explain to children what healthy relationships look like, and also how to identify and report online criminal activities.
If you believe you or someone you know is the victim of sextortion or other forms of child exploitation, report the incident on the CyberTipline. To speak to someone directly, contact 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678). The phoneline is available 24/7.
If you or someone you know is dealing with suicidal thoughts, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or text "Hopeline" to the National Crisis Text Line at 741-741.
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