In Yekaterinburg, a criminal case unfolds in the Oktyabrsky District Court over a suspected organized crime group that allegedly targets men by posing as young girls online to extort money. One defendant named in the proceedings is 21-year-old blogger Ekaterina Kropaneva. This information comes from the regional portal E1.RU, as reported through media outlets that cover the case.
The authorities describe a scheme in which members of the group created fake social media profiles that appeared to belong to underage girls. According to investigators, these profiles were used to lure men into meeting arrangements, with the promise that the arrangement would remain secret. When the men arrived at the alleged locations, they were confronted by a group described as athletic in appearance. The defendants allegedly used this setup to apply pressure and demand money in exchange for silence, aiming to deter the victims from disclosing the incidents publicly.
Statements from investigators indicate that one of the supposed victims identified in the case is the blogger Kropaneva, who, at the time of the initial event, was already 18 years old. Additional details show that the search for a so-called victim involved other young women who had not yet reached the age of majority. The case has been transferred to a closed-door format in light of the ages of the individuals involved and the nature of the alleged crimes. Earlier reporting noted that several young women in the Ivanovo region were also identified as part of similar inquiries into allegations against a pedophile who is said to have connected with them via social networks. This broader context underscores ongoing concerns about online impersonation and gender-based extortion schemes described by local law enforcement and court records, with ongoing updates as investigations proceed. This summary is based on information from regional coverage outlets and official court statements published through media reporting, with attribution to the cited sources for transparency.