A sexual predator who exploited the shame of young men from culturally conservative backgrounds has been jailed for 16 years – and detectives believe his true tally of victims may reach as high as 90.
Waleed Saeed, 31, from Ilford, east London, was sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Friday for 17 offences against five males, including one rape, multiple counts of blackmail, and making indecent images of children. But the Metropolitan Police investigation has uncovered evidence that suggests his campaign of entrapment and extortion, which began in 2018, was far more extensive.
The predator’s method: targeting shame and exploiting vulnerability
Detectives believe Saeed deliberately targeted young men from South Asian and Muslim backgrounds, calculating that they would be less likely to report him to the police because of the potential shame or ostracisation they feared from their families and communities. He would create false online profiles, posing as either a young woman or a transgender woman, using platforms such as Snapchat, Grindr and Twitter. Using an array of aliases – including “Trans Girl Leah”, “amzyyyy09.”, “blsup” and “ComeDeal” – he would build trust with his targets and encourage them to send intimate pictures.
Once he had obtained the images, Saeed would reveal himself as a man and demand hundreds of pounds. His threats were specific: he would expose the pictures to the victim’s family, friends, or the public at large. The Metropolitan Police described him as “relentless”, using approximately 100 online aliases, with victims believed to be in London and across the UK.
Judge Timothy Greene, who presided over the case, said Saeed – who holds a university degree – was “adept at turning the psychological screw” on his victims, enjoying the power he gained and leaving them in “terror of exposure”. The court heard that two of Saeed’s victims felt suicidal because of the humiliation they endured. One victim, who paid more than £3,600 in total, told the court: “I felt trapped and lost,” adding that Saeed had taken his virginity. “The shame I felt by letting this happen to me is something I will have to live with for the rest of my life,” he said.
Saeed’s five known victims ranged from their mid-teens to their 20s, with two aged 15 and 17 at the time of the offences. The judge noted that after raping one victim, Saeed had simply uttered “that’s all for today” and walked off.
The investigation and the scale of offending
The Metropolitan Police investigation, led by Detective Constable Peter Collington, began in August 2024 after Saeed coerced an 18-year-old man into meeting him in an east London park. The victim had swapped sexual images with someone he believed to be a transgender woman, and then received messages from a different account demanding money or the pictures would be released. Unable to pay, the victim was coerced into meeting Saeed three times late at night, where Saeed – with his face covered – sexually assaulted and raped him.
The victim reported the attack to the police, who analysed data from the social media accounts used to contact him. Saeed was arrested in November 2024, and two mobile phones were seized. Those phones, along with other electronic devices, contained scores of pictures of men. From this evidence alone, detectives believe there may be 50 to 70 further victims. Some remain unidentified because the intimate images do not show faces, or because the usernames associated with them are not the victims’ real names.
Police also combed through details of similar unsolved or closed cases and found 24 where the details of the offending were similar enough to lead them to suspect Saeed may have been involved. Taken together, detectives believe the potential number of further victims could be anywhere between the 70s and 90s. DC Collington said: “Our investigation has led us to believe that the true scale of his offending is likely to be significantly wider. The pattern of offending we have uncovered is deeply disturbing and shows a level of deliberate manipulation and cruelty that has caused immense harm to innocent men.”
The court also heard that one victim had gone to the police in 2018. Saeed was arrested and bailed a year later, but his offending continued after no charges were brought at that time. Saeed was found guilty in March 2026; he pleaded guilty to charges relating to four victims and was found guilty by a jury on charges relating to another.
In addition to the 16-year prison sentence, Saeed received a 10-year Sexual Harm Protection Order (SHPO). Blackmail offences in the UK are prosecuted under Section 21 of the Theft Act 1968, which defines it as making an unwarranted demand with menaces with intent to gain or cause loss. Sextortion – a form of blackmail involving intimate images – is covered by various laws including the Malicious Communications Act 1988 and the Sexual Offences Act 2003.
Police appeal and support for victims
Detectives are now appealing directly to anyone who believes they may have been a victim of Saeed to come forward. DC Collington said: “I am making a direct appeal to other victim-survivors, who may not have had the confidence to come forward, to please contact us. I want to say this clearly to potential victims out there: what has happened to you was not your fault. We want to be absolutely clear that no one should ever have their sexuality exploited or weaponised against them in this way.”
The Metropolitan Police can be contacted on 101 quoting reference 5335/18JUNE2026. Support services are also available: Galop, the UK’s LGBT+ anti-abuse charity, offers a national helpline on 0800 999 5428, email [email protected], or webchat at www.galop.org.uk/help. Victim Support can be reached at www.victimsupport.org.uk or 08 08 16 89 111. For those under 18, the CEOP Safety Centre is at www.ceop.police.uk/safety-centre, and Childline is available on 0800 1111. The Revenge Porn Helpline for adults over 18 is on 0345 6000 459, and StopNCII.org provides a tool to help prevent the sharing of intimate images.
