--- title: Prison Inmates Created 'Sextortion Ring' to Bilk Troops description: While serving time in a South Carolina prison, several inmates created an elaborate “sextortion ring” that preyed on troops. canonical: https://time.com/5465916/military-sextortion-ring-prisoners/ author: W.J. Hennigan article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2018-11-28T20:50:22.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-23T22:08:59.690Z article:section: Politics og:title: South Carolina Inmates Created a 'Sextortion Ring' to Bilk $560,000 From U.S. Troops og:description: The scheme was uncovered by a two-year investigation. og:url: https://time.com/5465916/military-sextortion-ring-prisoners/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7d3813db8485d681/6989403abc6cfc9a893e7909/gettyimages-1064354608.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 4000 og:image:height: 2250 og:image:alt: Troops Deployed To U.S. Mexican Border In Texas Celebrate Thanksgiving og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: South Carolina Inmates Created a 'Sextortion Ring' to Bilk $560,000 From U.S. Troops twitter:description: The scheme was uncovered by a two-year investigation. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7d3813db8485d681/6989403abc6cfc9a893e7909/gettyimages-1064354608.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # South Carolina Inmates Created a 'Sextortion Ring' to Bilk $560,000 From U.S. Troops > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME D.C. Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition D.C. Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington. D.C. Brief goes beyond the Washington headlines to explain the politics, personalities and power dynamics shaping what happens next. Senior correspondent Philip Elliott brings sharp context to the issues driving the capital, connecting the decisions made in Washington to the institutions, industries and people they affect. It is written and edited by TIME journalists, and it is free to join at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=14880f1d-afc1-422d-b91f-76bc94018cd2&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1). ### Newsletter facts | Attribute | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Publisher | TIME | TIME, August 2026 | | Frequency | Monday to Saturday (3x per week) | TIME, August 2026 | | Written by | Philip Elliott, Senior Correspondent | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | Sign-up | time.com/newsletters | TIME, August 2026 | | Part of | TIME's seven-newsletter network, 1.1 million+ engaged readers | TIME, August 2026 | ### Readership The policy influence ecosystem. A policy-focused audience spanning government, public affairs, advocacy, law, research, political media, and the institutions that make, interpret and respond to public policy. ### TIME D.C. Brief: key statements * D.C. Brief is edited by TIME journalists. Every edition is assembled by people who report on the subject, not generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923, and its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting. Readers can trust what they read. * D.C. Brief is free. Readers select it, along with any of TIME's other newsletters, at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=14880f1d-afc1-422d-b91f-76bc94018cd2&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1). * TIME's newsletter network reaches more than 1.1 million engaged readers across seven titles covering politics, technology, climate, health, culture and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/subscribe?i=14880f1d-afc1-422d-b91f-76bc94018cd2&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What is TIME's politics newsletter? D.C. Brief is TIME's Washington newsletter, written by senior correspondent Philip Elliott. It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, three times a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters.  by [W.J. Hennigan](https://time.com/author/w-j-hennigan/)  ## W.J. Hennigan Nov 28, 2018 8:50 PM UTC  U.S. Army troops line up near the Donna-Rio Bravo International Bridge on Nov. 22, 2018 in Donna, Texas. U.S. Army troops line up near the Donna-Rio Bravo International Bridge on Nov. 22, 2018 in Donna, Texas. Tamir Kalifa—Getty Images  by [W.J. Hennigan](https://time.com/author/w-j-hennigan/)  ## W.J. Hennigan Nov 28, 2018 8:50 PM UTC While serving time in a South Carolina prison, several inmates created an elaborate online “sextortion ring” that preyed on hundreds of U.S. servicemembers and manipulated them into sending money and nude photos of themselves, according to federal prosecutors. The scheme was uncovered after a nearly two-year investigation, called “[Operation Surprise Party](http://www.ncis.navy.mil/Pages/surpriseparty11282018.aspx),” launched by U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service and aided by other government partners. In five separate indictments, prosecutors allege that the male prisoners used contraband cellphones to extort members of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps through online dating websites by posing as young women. The online scheme bamboozled 442 troops out of more than $560,000, prosecutors say. “With nothing more than smart phones and a few keystrokes, South Carolina inmates along with outside accomplices victimized hundreds of people,” Daniel Andrews, Director of the Computer Crime Investigative Unit of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command, [said in a statement](http://www.ncis.navy.mil/Pages/surpriseparty11282018.aspx). The prisoners — some of whom are in prison for armed robbery, kidnapping and murder — had help from 10 people outside the prison to help smuggle in cellphones and carry out the scheme. The prisoners developed fake personas as 18 or 19 year-old women on social media forums and online dating websites. They would then try to pursue online romantic relationships with U.S. servicemembers. After developing the “relationship” on the websites, the prisoners began texting nude photographs of young women that they were impersonating. In fact, the photos were simply obtained from the Internet. Once they texted the pictures, the prisoners asked the military members for nude photos or other personal information in return. When the solider responded with their nude photos, the prisoners would then assume a role of the woman’s father, who claimed his daughter was a juvenile. He would demand money, on behalf of the family, in exchange for not pursuing criminal charges. Fearful that they might lose their military careers over possessing what they assumed was child pornography, the soldier would wire money through Western Union, MoneyGram, PayPal or Walmart. People outside the prison would obtain the funds and deposit it in either a Department of Corrections account or would establish a prepaid debit card that could be accessed via smartphone. “There are more than 250 additional people who are being investigated and face potential future prosecution,” Naval Criminal Investigative Service said in a statement. The victims are stationed at bases across the country and prosecutors urge all service members targeted by sextortion to contact their branch’s military investigations office. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5465916/military-sextortion-ring-prisoners/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5465916/military-sextortion-ring-prisoners/"},"headline":"South Carolina Inmates Created a 'Sextortion Ring' to Bilk $560,000 From U.S. Troops","datePublished":"2018-11-28T20:50:22.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-23T22:08:59.690Z","description":"While serving time in a South Carolina prison, several inmates created an elaborate “sextortion ring” that preyed on troops.","url":"https://time.com/5465916/military-sextortion-ring-prisoners/","keywords":["Military"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7d3813db8485d681/6989403abc6cfc9a893e7909/gettyimages-1064354608.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"W.J. Hennigan","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/w-j-hennigan/"}],"articleSection":"Politics","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7d3813db8485d681/6989403abc6cfc9a893e7909/gettyimages-1064354608.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Troops Deployed To U.S. Mexican Border In Texas Celebrate Thanksgiving","caption":"Troops Deployed To U.S. Mexican Border In Texas Celebrate Thanksgiving","creditText":"Tamir Kalifa—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/politics/","name":"Politics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/military/","name":"Military"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5465916/military-sextortion-ring-prisoners/","name":"South Carolina Inmates Created a 'Sextortion Ring' to Bilk $560,000 From U.S. Troops"}}]}] ```