An elderly woman from Tennessee, named Stephanie Godby, has been accused of sextortion against a Minnesota teenager, and authorities suspect she may have targeted others with similar schemes. Godby, who is 70 years old, allegedly approached the 17-year-old boy online from Anoka County, Minnesota, managed to convince him to send explicit photos, and then blackmailed him by threatening to share the images with his friends and family if he didn't pay her. Reports indicate that the boy was coerced into sending over $2,000 to Godby through her Venmo account.

Local law enforcement first received a tip-off about this scam in 2022. During their investigation, they found records that suggested Godby had executed similar plans on other victims. Subpoenaed records of Godby's Venmo transactions showed payments from multiple individuals across the United States. In one transaction, a message reading, “leave my husband alone for good, this is all you’re getting from me” was noted. This implies that the accused may have been extorting other victims using various deceitful tactics.

The initial teen victim, who is now 19, paid $1,700 in an attempt to keep his photos private, but the demands for money persisted, leading him to pay a total of $2,204.54 before authorities intervened. The investigation connected the Venmo account, identified as @sigodby, to Godby through her birth date, social security number, phone number, and address. Despite these strong leads, law enforcement has yet to apprehend her. Stephanie Godby has been charged in absentia with coercion and theft by swindle, and authorities continue their search for her to hold her accountable for her actions.