What started as a supposed kidnapping in Southeast D.C. turned out, according to police, to be a cruel stunt among friends that ended with criminal charges. Three women are accused of staging a fake abduction of a friend, sending a photo that appeared to show her bound and gagged, and then trying to squeeze ransom money out of someone close to her. Detectives quickly found the supposed victim safe and opened an extortion investigation. Two suspects were arrested in early December, and a third was picked up this month.
How police say the scheme worked
According to the Metropolitan Police Department, the incident kicked off on December 4, 2025, around 6:22 p.m., when the suspects allegedly contacted the victim and sent a photo that appeared to show a friend bound and gagged. Along with the image came a ransom demand meant to make the threat feel real.
The shaken victim called police, who responded to the 1900 block of Massachusetts Avenue SE. Officers quickly located the purported kidnap victim safe and unharmed, and investigators determined the kidnapping had been staged, according to the department.
Arrests in the case
As reported by WUSA9, two women, 36-year-old Shante Duncan Sanders and 42-year-old Nordia Coy, were arrested on December 5, 2025, and charged with extortion. On Thursday, members of the U.S. Marshals Service located and arrested 34-year-old Asia Coy in Silver Spring on a D.C. Superior Court warrant.
Charges and what police say
The Metropolitan Police Department states that all three women have been charged with Extortion. No injuries were reported in connection with the incident. The department identified the investigation with case control number CCN 25183302 and noted that the case remains open.
A broader scam warning
Federal authorities have warned that some criminals use altered or staged photos and carefully timed messages in so-called "virtual kidnapping" schemes to pressure victims into paying fast. The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center has issued a public service alert outlining the tactic and urging people not to rush into sending money.
The IC3 recommends steps such as trying to verify a loved one's location, using prearranged code words, and contacting law enforcement rather than paying a demand, all aimed at helping potential targets avoid being scammed.
Police say that anyone who receives a ransom demand or suspicious proof-of-life material should pause, attempt to reach the person directly, and then call local authorities. In D.C., non-emergency tips to the Metropolitan Police Department can be made at 202-727-9099, while emergencies should go to 911. Anyone with information related to this case is asked to reference CCN 25183302.
