NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is warning families about the growing threat of financial sextortion targeting children, a crime that has had deadly consequences for some families across the country.
One mother says her son died by suicide after becoming a victim of sextortion — the worst possible outcome of a dangerous threat now increasing in Tennessee.
James Woods was 17 years old when he fell victim to an online predator he met on Instagram, suspected to be several predators behind the scenes.
His mother, Tamia Woods, testified before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee seven months ago.
“I would give anything to have my son back,” Woods said almost bursting into tears.
Woods said the predator asked James to send a compromising video before relentlessly threatening to release it unless he sent money.
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“I have no pity to rot a life as well yours,” Woods read from one of more than 200 messages she said were sent to her son over a span of 19 1/2 hours.
Officials say James died by suicide in November 2022 in Streetsboro, Ohio.
The TBI says his case represents a very real risk for children in Tennessee.
According to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, more than 50,000 reports of sextortion for money were received in 2025, up from more than 36,000 reports the year before.
The TBI says investigators are working to identify and locate more than 150 child victims in Tennessee.
Scott Augenbaum is a former FBI agent who handled these types of cases.
“They build a relationship. It takes a little time. They groom these young people to send inappropriate photos of themselves,” Augenbaum said.
Augenbaum said many of the cybercriminals are overseas and pretend to be the same age as the child they are targeting.
He said predators are also using new tactics to pressure victims into sending money, including pretending to be government officials.
“How do you make it even more pressing? All of a sudden, you pretend to be a government official,” Augenbaum said.
Augenbaum said it is often nearly impossible to catch sextortion cybercriminals, making education and prevention especially important.
“Know what your kids are doing, make sure your kids know the difference between real and imaginary friends, and tell your kids once they send pics of themselves, they are never getting them back,” Augenbaum said.
It is a plea echoed by Woods.
“Talk to your children about sextortion and any other child exploitation,” she said.
The TBI says anyone who suspects a child is a victim of sextortion should contact their local law enforcement agency.
A federal bill pushed by Tamia and named after James Woods has advanced out of the Senate Judiciary Committee but has not yet passed Congress.
It would make sextortion a specific federal crime, strengthen federal sentencing laws for online child exploitation, and target criminal networks that coerce children into harming themselves or others.
