RAPIST JAILED AFTER USING SNAPCHAT TO TARGET YOUNG MEN
A man has been sentenced to prison after investigators uncovered his use of Snapchat to target young Muslim and South Asian men, exploiting the assumption that they would be less inclined to report to authorities, according to a detective.Waleed Saeed, aged 31, received a prison term of 16 years at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Friday.
Authorities believe there may be additional victims linked to his offenses.
Residing in Azalea Close, Ilford, East London, Saeed impersonated a young woman or transgender woman on Snapchat, requesting intimate images from his targets, as reported by the Metropolitan Police.
He then used this information to extort money, often threatening to reveal the victims' identities to their families, communities, universities, workplaces, and friends, the police force stated.
Among his victims, two were aged 15 and 17.
Detective Constable Peter Collington, leading the investigation, described Saeed’s actions as involving "deliberate manipulation and cruelty" that caused significant harm.
Saeed faced charges for 17 offenses involving five individuals, including allegations of rape, blackmail, and producing indecent images of children.
The investigation was initiated in August 2024 after a man reported being raped in a London park.
The victim reported sharing sexual images with someone he believed to be a transgender woman, but the police said that Saeed later sent threatening messages from a different account, revealing his true identity as a man.
He demanded money in exchange for not sharing the images and insisted they meet in person when the victim indicated he could not pay.
Over the subsequent weeks, the victim was coerced into three late-night encounters in a London park.
During these meetings, Saeed, wearing a face covering, sexually assaulted and raped him, according to police.
It was several months before officers linked the social media profiles to Saeed, leading to his arrest in November 2024.
During the search, two mobile phones were recovered containing intimate images connected to other victims, some possibly minors.
On November 19, 2024, Saeed was charged with eight counts, including rape, blackmail, and threats to share explicit images.
Investigations extended to earlier cases dating back to 2018 across London and other UK regions, where Saeed was found to have impersonated a young or transgender woman to manipulate victims through threats of exposure.
In March 2025, he was formally charged with nine additional counts relating to four more victims.
By March 2, 2025, he pleaded guilty to charges involving four victims—these included threats, blackmail, distribution of indecent images, and intimidation.
A jury convicted him on multiple counts involving a fifth victim on March 12, 2025, including rape, attempted rape, and blackmail.
The court also imposed a 10-year Sexual Harm Protection Order, the police confirmed.
