Marylander sentenced for global ‘sextortion’ scheme that victimized over 100 girls

A child sexual offender from Silver Spring, Maryland, was sentenced Tuesday to 50 years in federal prison for running an international “sextortion” scheme in which he coerced more than 100 victims into sending him sexually explicit pictures and videos.

Federal prosecutors said Chase William Mulligan, 28, will spend the next five decades behind bars in the abuse scheme that went from 2019 to 2023 and spanned seven countries.

Court documents said Mulligan connected with the victims by making accounts on Discord, Instagram, Omegle, Roblox, Skype and Snapchat.

The victims were based out of countries such as Australia, Canada, Denmark, the Philippines, Spain, the U.K. and the U.S.

“Specifically, through the scheme, Mulligan coerced at least 108 girls — ranging from ages 5-17 — to send him sexually explicit photographs and videos of themselves,” prosecutors said in a release. “When the girls told him they no longer wanted to send him sexually graphic images, Mulligan threatened to post the images online or come to their house.”

Officials said Mulligan directed the girls to expose themselves and commit lewd sex acts.

Following his release, Mulligan will spend 25 years on supervised release.

“Chase Mulligan is a depraved and dangerous predator. He used social media to target, viciously threaten, and horribly abuse more than 100 minor victims — one as young as 5 years old,” William DelBagno, the former FBI lead for its Baltimore Field Office, said when Mulligan pleaded guilty last year. 

“His abhorrent behavior is not diminished by the fact he was thousands of miles away and never met his victims; rather, it’s the opposite. Despite his distance, he presents a serious threat to any child he can access through the internet,” Mr. DelBagno said.