Contractor Overcomes Sex Video Blackmail to Get Security Clearance

In today’s digital world, it’s easy to get caught up in online dating platforms, connecting with complete strangers in the hope of finding a meaningful relationship. Unfortunately, it’s just as easy to fall victim to scams or online blackmail. That’s exactly what happened to a Department of Defense contractor, who faced a denial of his clearance upgrade due to concerns over personal and sexual conduct. Below are the key points from his case and subsequent DOHA appeal.

The applicant was on an online dating site and was communicating with a woman for a few hours when the nature of the conversation turned sexual. In a later call with the woman, she popped up on video naked and masturbating in her bed. The applicant turned on his video and started doing the same. Unbeknownst to him, the woman had recorded him masturbating while on video and later messaged him demanding $5,000 or she would post it all over social media sites. He ended up paying her $3,000 in Bitcoin. A month later, she popped up again demanding another $5,000, which he refused to send her. Instead, he informed his parents and closest friends about what happened and then blocked the woman from his accounts.

At his appeal hearing, he had testimony from family and friends that corroborated his accounting of the incident. The DOHA judge at the hearing noted that the applicant was forthcoming about it all, was under the impression that he was communicating with the woman privately, no longer visits dating sites because he has a girlfriend, can no longer be blackmailed for it, and is unlikely to engage in future similar behavior – clearance eligibility granted.