An 18-year-old died by suicide after becoming a victim of a sextortion blackmail scam orchestrated by a crime ring based in West Africa, an inquest has revealed. Cai Rhys Davies sent intimate images and videos to an individual posing as a romantic interest on a fake dating site.

The blackmailers, who were operating from the Ivory Coast, subsequently demanded money from Davies, threatening to release the compromising material on YouTube and to his friends. Davies attempted to take his own life in his bedroom on the same day the demand was made in May of the previous year. He died four days later in the hospital, with a brain injury listed as his cause of death.

The inquest in Pontypridd, South Wales, heard that Davies, a keen footballer, had already experienced significant loss, having lost both parents. His mother died by suicide when he was four, and his father died from sepsis when he was five. He was subsequently raised by his grandparents.

According to his brother, Ethan Davies, Cai struggled to openly discuss the loss of his parents, had difficulty controlling his emotions, and faced challenges with ADHD and behavioral issues. Rachel Denner, a former school support worker for Davies, stated that he contacted her via Facebook on May 29, inquiring if she had received a message from an account named 'Melissa Calvert.' The next day, upon opening the message, Denner found an intimate picture and video.

Detective Constable Jack Cotton, a criminal investigator, informed the inquest that the name 'Melissa Calvert' was likely a pseudonym. He identified the incident as a sextortion scam perpetrated by a large-scale operation in the Ivory Coast. The perpetrators likely created a fake Facebook profile impersonating a white woman from London of a similar age to Davies. While not all messages could be recovered, the conversation was believed to have quickly turned sexual, leading Davies to send intimate photos that were then used for blackmail. IP addresses and phone numbers associated with the account traced back to the Ivory Coast.

On the evening of May 29, the blackmailer threatened to release videos of Davies if he did not comply with their financial demands, stating it would 'ruin his life.' Davies indicated he did not have the money and was with his grandmother in the hospital. The blackmailer later claimed to have posted the material, though no evidence of this was found.

The last interaction occurred at 9:30 a.m. on May 30, just hours before Davies was found in his bedroom. Detective Constable Cotton noted that if the phone had been located in the UK, criminal proceedings might have been possible, but the inability to identify the individuals prevented any prosecution.

DC Cotton advised the public to be wary of unsolicited messages on social media, particularly those that quickly become sexual or request intimate photos.

The inquest also heard that Davies had experienced low moods from around the age of 12, at which point he began using cannabis and alcohol. Ethan Davies observed that his brother seemed to be struggling more than usual prior to his death, suggesting that being a victim of the sextortion scam may have contributed to his low state.

South Wales coroner Rachel Knight acknowledged Davies' 'difficult and traumatic childhood.' She concluded that it was 'more likely than not that personal stress in his life and becoming the victim of a sextortion scam more than minimally contributed to his death by suicide.' Knight also highlighted a perceived lack of public education regarding sextortion blackmail and stated she would be sending a report to government ministers regarding public awareness of such scams.