The FBI recently apprehended a man in Las Vegas, accused of extorting and threatening customers and Instagram influencers through an online business offering services to block and unlock social media accounts. This information was uncovered by the 8 News Now Investigators.
The suspect, Idriss Qibaa, was arrested by FBI agents on Monday following an investigation that began in April. Qibaa, who runs the website Unlocked4life.com, also uses the aliases “Dani” and “Unlocked,” according to the documents.
Officials stated that Qibaa is a Moroccan national legally residing in the United States but not a U.S. citizen. The FBI noted that Qibaa has expressed intentions to flee to Morocco if faced with legal pressure or upon making bail, where he claimed he could “live like a king.”
The FBI alleges that Qibaa described an extortion scheme during a podcast in January, boasting of earning over $600,000 monthly through his website, Unlocked4life.com. During the “No Jumper” podcast, Qibaa reportedly detailed his methods of locking victims out of their social media accounts and charging them to regain access.
Unlocked4life.com, which state records show is based in Henderson, claims to offer services to ban or unban accounts on platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat, Telegram, and TikTok. Additionally, Qibaa offered services for purchasing digital tracking and personal information. The website was still active as of Tuesday.
Documents indicate that Qibaa profited by locking victims out of their social media accounts and demanding payment for unlocking them. The FBI lists several alleged victims in court documents, including unnamed celebrities and influencers.
In one incident, a social media influencer contacted Qibaa about purchasing a username. When the influencer did not complete the purchase, Qibaa allegedly threatened the influencer, blocked him, and demanded $10,000 to unlock the account.
In another case, a businessman paid Qibaa $25,000 for a unique Instagram handle but never received control of it. Qibaa then demanded an additional $100,000 and threatened to harm the businessman’s family and associates.
Earlier this month, a restraining order was issued against Qibaa for similar allegations. Qibaa allegedly responded by sending threatening text messages, including one that said, “Cute restraining order… last I checked you’re still gonna die,” according to the FBI.
Other allegations involve Qibaa threatening his Las Vegas landlord and a dentist based in Beverly Hills.
Qibaa is facing two federal charges of interstate communications. Judge Maximiliano Couvillier III has ordered Qibaa to be detained pending trial.
Anyone who suspects they are a victim of online fraud can report it to the FBI at ic3.gov. The FBI also provides information on its website about recognizing common scams and cybercrimes.