Winnipeg teen charged following alleged sextortion of Belgian youth

A man uses a computer keyboard in Toronto in this Sunday, Oct. 9, 2023, photo illustration. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graeme Roy

A Winnipeg teen has been charged after he allegedly coerced a teenager from Belgium to send intimate images of herself and posted them online.

According to police, a 15-year-old male connected online with the teenager roughly one year ago and allegedly coerced her to send intimate images of herself to him. Police said the images were then posted online without her consent.

Between Oct. 4 and Nov. 30 last year, police allege the teen harassed and extorted the woman, demanding money from her to stop posting the images online. She reported the incidents to police in Belgium and the images were removed.

Winnipeg police were informed of the investigation in October, and identified an address in the city.

The teen was arrested at a home in Point Douglas last Thursday and digital storage devices were seized.

The 15-year-old has been charged with extortion, criminal harassment and accessing, making and publishing child sexual abuse and exploitation material. He was released with numerous conditions.

None of the charges have been proven in court.