SENTENCING SCANDAL: Man linked to online crime group that blackmailed young girls dodges jail

A MAN who was found with indecent images of children and was linked to an online criminal group that blackmailed young teenaged girls has avoided a jail term.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) investigated Richard Ehiemere, from of Blakeney Close, Hackney, north-east London, now 21, after receiving a referral from Discord in January 2021, when he was 17 years old.

Ehiemere was charged with two fraud offences and three indecent images of children offences

He was convicted by a jury at Aldersgate Nightingale Court on February 25 2025 this year, following a seven-day trial.

Today, May 1 2025, at Snaresbrook Crown Court, he was sentenced to just 12 months imprisonment, which was then suspended for 18 months, meaning he will not go to prison.

However, he was given a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which means he will face monitoring and limitations on his internet use.

Ehiemere has mental health problems and has been admitted to psychiatric wards, following psychotic episodes, which were points raised by his defence.

Discord made the referral as it was concerned about the activities of the CVLT group, which Ehiemere was linked to.

CVLT is a form of 'Com' network, which are typically made up of young males who share harmful and misogynistic content, and commit a range of online offences.

Members attempt to gain status within the group by committing or encouraging ever more shocking or harmful acts.

Ehiemere's sentencing comes after the NCA's latest National Strategic Assessment, published in March, warned about the dangers posed by 'Com networks'.

The investigation into Ehiemere established that he had logged on to the "Retaliate#1337" account hundreds of times, which had access to Discord channels connected to CVLT.

"Retaliate#1337" had disclosed stolen email addresses and passwords, known as 'combo lists', and the profile is also believed to have shared indecent images of children (IIOC).

NCA investigators were able to trace these log ons back to Ehiemere's home address in Hackney, where he was arrested in April 2021 with the assistance of the Metropolitan Police Service.

His mobile phone was seized and found to contain 29 IIOC, ranging from category A (the most severe) to category C. Conversations relating to hacking, selling unlawfully obtained material and how to avoid detection were also stored on it.

A computer tower was found with 142 combo lists stored on it, each containing personal details which had been stolen and could have been used to defraud victims.

A number of accounts and software associated with VPN providers – which are used to mask the user's location - such as "ExpressVPN", "NordVPN", "MullvadVPN" and "OpenVPN" were also found. "ExpressVPN" and "MullvadVPN" were used to access the relevant Retaliate account when emails and passwords were shared.

More broadly, members of CVLT and other com networks are known to target girls on social media platforms such as Discord. They used online monikers to communicate and persuade them to send intimate photos of themselves.

Members in these groups threaten to 'dox' their victims, which involves revealing real-world identities and publishing other personal information online, in order to coerce them into complying with their demands.

CVLT victims would often be targeted by one member of the group who would persuade them to send intimate images of themselves, either by coercion or consent. This material would then be used by the wider group to blackmail the victim into sending increasingly extreme content.

Girls are often forced to join group calls, where they would be instructed to carry out sexual acts and acts of self-harm for their audience. In severe cases, vulnerable victims have been encouraged to kill themselves on camera.

Steve Laval, Senior Investigating Officer at the NCA's National Cyber Crime Unit, said: "Richard Ehiemere helped this dangerous online group by supplying stolen information which they could use to defraud a significant number of victims. His actions helped to promote violence against women and girls and the NCA, alongside our policing partners, will do everything we can to identify and disrupt these harmful groups.

"CVLT and other 'Com' networks are dangerous online environments in which members encourage each other to commit a range of harmful and often depraved offences.

"We are collaborating with policing partners, technology companies, safeguarding agencies and psychologists to better understand how young people become offenders and safeguard victims.

"Together, we will reduce the threat posed by these groups, pursuing their members or those associated to them, and raising awareness with parents and educators to help them spot malign behaviour."

The full charges Ehiemere was convicted of were:

1 x making indecent images of children (10 category A images)

1 x making indecent images of children (2 category B images)

1 x making indecent images of children (17 category C images)

1 x possession of articles for use in fraud (142 combo lists)

1 x supplying articles for use in fraud (sets of emails and passwords copied and pasted into a Discord group chat

The NCA believes Ehiemere had links to the CVLT group but there was insufficient evidence for the CPS to charge him for extortion offences related to the group.

The Cyber Choices programme, coordinated by the NCA, helps steer young people like Richard Ehiemere away from a life of online crime and educate them on what constitutes as illegal cyber activity, and guides them into using their skills in a legal and productive way.

Children and young people are better protected when they have adults around them who they feel they can trust, talk to and won't be blamed by. Regular, open and honest conversations create environments where young people can disclose concerns.

Education professionals can find a range of lesson plans and resources to protect under 18s from online sexual abuse at: www.ceopeducation.co.uk/professionals

Parents and carers can find information, advice and resources to use at home with their children at: www.ceopeducation.co.uk/parents

Under 18s concerned about their own sexual behaviour or thoughts can find help and advice at: www.shorespace.org.uk