A sexual predator who targeted young men through a ‘sextortion’ scheme has been sentenced.
Waleed Saeed, 31, of Azalea Close, Ilford, was jailed for 16 years for a string of offences including rape and blackmail following a complex investigation by the Metropolitan Police.
Detective constable Peter Collington, who led the investigation, said: “The pattern of offending we have uncovered is deeply disturbing and shows a level of deliberate manipulation and cruelty that has caused immense harm to innocent men, with two of them being just 15 and 17 at the time.
“We know Saeed began offending in 2018, deliberately targeting young men from South Asian and Muslim backgrounds on the impression that these victim-survivors would be less likely to contact police.
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“We want to be absolutely clear that no one should ever have their sexuality exploited or weaponised against them in this way.”
The investigation began in August 2024 after a victim reported being raped in a London park.
The victim said he had exchanged sexual images with someone he believed to be a transgender woman.
He then received threatening messages from another account, run by Saeed, who revealed himself as a man and demanded payment.
When the victim could not pay, Saeed demanded an in-person meeting to keep the images private.
He went on to assault and rape the victim on three separate occasions in a park.
Digital enquiries led officers to identify Saeed, who was arrested in November 2024.
Forensic examination of his phones uncovered social media accounts and further intimate images linked to additional, unidentified victims, some of whom were believed to be children.
Saeed was initially charged with eight offences but was later linked to additional victims dating back to 2018.
He created fake personas, posing as young women or transgender women, to solicit intimate images from young men.
He then used those images to blackmail and sexually abuse his victims.
Saeed was sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court for 17 offences against five victims.
Detectives believe there may be more victims who have not yet come forward and are urging anyone with information to contact police.
Victims’ identities will be protected and support is available.
