Christchurch Police believe there may be more victims of a sextortion scheme and are urging anyone affected to come forward.
It follows the sentencing of Oliver Kiesanowski, convicted last month in the Christchurch District Court on charges related to a sextortion scheme targeting both identified and unidentified victims.
Kiesanowski, who operated under the alias “Rebecca” to pose as a woman online, was sentenced to five years imprisonment and placed on the child sex offenders’ register.
Police believe there may be additional victims who have not come forward and are encouraging anyone affected to make a report.
The conviction follows incidents between 2017 and 2023, during which Kiesanowski preyed on young male victims in the Christchurch area.
Using his fake persona, he coerced victims into sharing explicit images and subsequently blackmailed them, threatening exposure unless they provided further images.
Acting Detective Sergeant Michael Hawke of Canterbury CIB expressed satisfaction at the court’s decision, saying, “This offender subjected his victims to protracted periods of living with stress and fear that their online activity would be revealed to their friends and family, not to mention routinely forcing them to create explicit material they did not want to.”
Hawke added “We hope that if there is anyone who was not identified through our investigation who has been out there living in fear, that they can now feel safe in the knowledge that this offender will be behind bars for years to come,” he said.
He said any individual who comes forward with information about similar offences will be treated with respect and support.
“We know that unfortunately some of these victims don’t want to talk about what has happened to them as they are embarrassed or ashamed about getting drawn in,” Hawke said.
“But we want you to know – we know how insidious this type of offending is and how easily victims can become trapped. Anyone who wants to make a report to us about this kind of offending will be treated with dignity.”
Police provided tips on recognising and avoiding similar schemes.
Warning signs include being asked to move conversations to a different platform, inconsistencies in language that suggest English may be a second language, the introduction of sexualised topics, and excuses for avoiding video calls.
For those already victimised, police advised against sending further material, despite threats, as this only risks continued targeting.
They recommend preserving all evidence by taking screenshots, blocking the profile, and reporting the content on the relevant platform. Victims are also encouraged to contact Police via 105 or seek guidance from Netsafe.
