Athletes are comparable to celebrities in both status and wealth. This combination of fame and money makes them prime targets for all sorts of criminals. With the NIL money rolling in, more and more college players are vulnerable. Even the FBI has stepped in to help out with one particular set of violations.

As concerns about exploitation continue to grow in college athletics, the NCAA is taking a strong stance against “sextortion.” To combat and ultimately eradicate this growing threat from college sports programs, the NCAA has joined forces with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

“We hope to break down barriers so law enforcement can help prevent further abuse and connect college athletes who may be targeted with the right support,” NCAA Vice President of Enforcement Jon Duncan said on August 10.

“If we can play even a small role in preventing these crimes or getting justice or appropriate support for the people impacted by them, we will do everything we can to help.” Duncan said the “sexual exploitation” of young men and women occurs “more often than anyone would like.”

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This issue has been a very sensitive topic for the NCAA. The crime involves predatory actors trying to lure or coerce victims into sharing explicit photos or videos. They then threaten to release the images publicly unless the victims make a payment or provide additional content.

During its investigation, the FBI noted that student-athletes are vulnerable targets due to their extensive online footprints. Increasingly, athletes make social media profiles and are publicly active in the new NIL landscape.

As per the FBI, extortionists weaponize their online presences. They know that the athletes risk losing their scholarships, roster spots, scouting opportunities, and lucrative corporate sponsorships if targeted. 

The FBI intends this joint venture to serve as a victim-support network rather than an active criminal-investigation arm. Athletes are often highly reluctant to report cybercrimes directly to local police. The NCAA will now act as an on-campus liaison to safely connect victims with law enforcement and support resources.

The FBI has also caught offenders using common phishing tactics. There are specific red flags used by perpetrators to hack into the athlete accounts.

One is an unsolicited spoof email alerting the user to an imaginary “new login” and containing an embedded link to reset their password. The other is unsolicited text messages falsely claiming an athlete’s account will be disabled unless they reply with a verification code.

This allows the criminals access to sensitive pictures and media which is then used for blackmail.

A prominent example of this kind of crime occurred back in 2021, when unsealed court records exposed a massive cyber-extortion scheme targeting several members of the Penn State University football team.

An individual posing as a woman named “Li” on a dating app engaged two Penn State players in online conversations, tricking them into trading explicit photos.

The perpetrator then blackmailed the players, threatening to broadcast the explicit images on social media platforms like Snapchat and Instagram unless they sent more explicit videos.

The investigation uncovered over two dozen files, including 19 videos filmed inside the Penn State football locker room showing athletes in various stages of undress.

Forensic digital tracing revealed that the Penn State players were not isolated targets. The anonymous profile was part of a larger ring targeting high school and collegiate athletes across at least six different states.

Penn State, who had initially fought to keep these documents sealed, eventually had to release a statement. “Sexual extortion crimes in which individuals are coerced into sharing intimate images or videos are a national issue and similar incidents have victimized people in other places in the U.S. Police ask that media and others refrain from speculating about individuals who were targeted in these crimes.”

Extra measures taken by the FBI

The FBI has been working on this issue for a while now. Now, with the help of the NCAA, they have put new guidelines for any victim in such a situation. If a student-athlete believes they are currently being blackmailed or targeted, the FBI has provided a set of instructions for them to follow.

They must report the incident to law enforcement or campus safety without delay. The aggrieved should cease all contact with the offender immediately. The most important thing is not to pay the extortionist, as compliance frequently leads to higher demands. To build a strong case, they should preserve all related messages, screenshots, and images as evidence.

FBI criminal division section chief Daniel Costin said, “We’ve seen this crime of sextortion continue to unfold over the last several years and continue to grow and escalate with advancements in technology.” “We will go after and arrest and identify perpetrators.”

“This initiative is about making sure student-athletes, and anyone who may become a target, know they are not alone and that help is available,” said Jose Perez, operational director.