An 18-year-old orphan from South Wales took his own life after becoming the target of a sextortion scam operated by a criminal group based in West Africa, an inquest has revealed.

Cai Rhys Davies, who was raised by his grandparents following the deaths of both parents, was lured into sending explicit images and videos to a person posing as a potential romantic partner via a fake dating site. The individual, using the alias "Melissa Calvert," reportedly held Cai hostage with threats to release the material to his family, friends, and the public on YouTube unless he paid money.

The inquest, held in Pontypridd, heard that Cai received the blackmail demands on the evening of May 29, 2025, prompting a severe emotional response. Despite telling the scammers he was unable to pay, citing that he was in hospital with his grandmother, the threats continued. Early the next morning, on May 30, the teenager was found in his bedroom in Llantrisant, near Pontypridd, having attempted suicide. He died four days later in hospital from hypoxic brain injury.

Cai's older brother, Ethan, testified that Cai, a keen footballer who struggled with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and behavioural issues, had never openly discussed the trauma of losing both parents. Their mother died by suicide when Cai was four years old, and their father passed away from sepsis shortly thereafter. Ethan described Cai as emotionally vulnerable and unable to fully control his feelings.

Rachel Denner, a former school support worker for Cai, recounted receiving a Facebook message from him on May 29, asking whether she had received messages from "Melissa Calvert." Upon reviewing the messages the following day, she found the explicit images and videos Cai had inadvertently shared. Detective Jack Cotton, who led the investigation, stated that the scammers operated from the Ivory Coast and used a fabricated online identity pretending to be a white woman from London.

Detective Cotton noted that while the scammers used a false Facebook account to target Cai, the perpetrators remain unidentified. He explained that if the operation had been UK-based, law enforcement would have been able to pursue criminal charges.

The inquest also documented Cai's history of mental health struggles, including low moods beginning around age 12 and substance use involving cannabis and alcohol.

Recording the cause of death as suicide with hypoxic brain injury, coroner Rachel Knight stated that the sextortion scam and the resulting personal stress "more than minimally contributed" to Cai’s death. She indicated that she would be sending a detailed report to ministers in both the Department for Culture, Media & Sport and the education departments in Wales and the UK, raising questions about public awareness and prevention of such crimes.

Support services for individuals affected by similar issues were also highlighted.