Russian Blogger Faces 25 Years After Secretly Filming Women In Ghana & Kenya And Sharing Videos Online For Cash

Russian Man Accused Of Filming Women Without Consent Across Africa

A Russian blogger known for his controversial online content is staring down the barrel of a 25-year prison sentence after Ghanaian authorities launched an aggressive manhunt to extradite him for allegedly using spy sunglasses to secretly film intimate encounters with dozens of women and selling the videos online for profit.

The suspect, identified as Vyacheslav Trahov—known online as “Yaytseslav”—is accused of treating Ghana and Kenya as his personal hunting grounds. Using high-tech glasses fitted with a hidden camera, he allegedly recorded consensual sexual encounters without the women’s knowledge and then uploaded the content to a pay-per-view Telegram channel. The scandal has ignited fury across West and East Africa, with Ghana now pulling out all the stops to bring him to justice.

“We Will Find This Gentleman”: Ghana Issues Ultimatum

On Saturday, February 14, 2026, Ghana’s Minister of Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, held an emergency press conference in Accra. He confirmed that the government has initiated immediate extradition proceedings and is working with Interpol to track the suspect down.

“The actions of this Russian citizen flout our cyber-security laws. We will find that gentleman. We will use all the resources we have at our disposal, working with Interpol. We will request the Russian authorities—and that is why I have invited the Russian ambassador—to work with our law enforcement. We want the gentleman to be brought back to Ghana, extradited to Ghana, so he can face the rigours of our law.”

The Minister acknowledged that preliminary investigations suggest Trahov may have already fled the country. However, he stressed that this does not diminish the state’s responsibility to pursue accountability. If extradition fails due to Russia’s typical reluctance to hand over its citizens, George confirmed the government would consider trying the suspect in absentia.

How The Russian Blogger Operated

The thirty-something self-styled “pick-up artist” used a sophisticated method to capture his encounters. He allegedly wore sunglasses equipped with a hidden camera to record high-definition video of his interactions without holding a phone.

His routine was chillingly consistent. He would approach women in public places like the Accra Mall or shopping centres in Nairobi, strike up a conversation, and often claim he was new to town and looking for an apartment or company.

After exchanging contact details, he would invite them to his short-stay apartment. While summary versions of the encounters were posted on TikTok and YouTube to drive traffic, the full, uncensored videos were allegedly locked behind a paid subscription on Telegram, turning the women’s trauma into a revenue stream.

Kenyan Woman Claims Videos Were Edited

One woman, a real estate agent who featured in his videos, has come forward to share her side of the story, disputing the narrative portrayed in the clips. In a detailed account, she explained how she was lured under false pretences.

“Upon arrival, the conversation shifted away from anything professional, so I chose to leave immediately. Nothing inappropriate happened between us at any point.”

She explained that she met Trahov at a mall while waiting for a client who never showed up. He told her he was looking for a new apartment because his current rental was too expensive. Seeing a business opportunity, she shared her number. She maintains that the viral videos were heavily edited and manipulated to fit his narrative, and did not reflect what actually happened behind closed doors.

“The viral videos had been edited and did not accurately reflect what transpired, instead being manipulated to fit Trahov’s narrative.”

Her account is just one of approximately 40 formal complaints lodged by women in Ghana, with authorities suspecting the number of victims could be far higher, potentially reaching into the hundreds across Kenya and Ghana.

“Consent To Sex Is Not Consent To Filming”

As the scandal erupted, a wave of victim-blaming swept across social media. However, prominent voices have pushed back, insisting the focus remains on the alleged criminality of the suspect.

Veteran journalist Ferdinand Omondi offered a sharp rebuke to those ridiculing the women involved.

“Adults make personal choices every day, but no such personal decision cancels the right to privacy, and grants one permission to secretly record and expose someone. Consent to sex is not consent to filming. Consent to filming is not consent to publication.”

The non-consensual sharing of intimate images is a serious crime. A person found guilty of distributing intimate recordings without consent, with the intent to cause distress, faces a prison sentence of up to 25 years in Ghana. The law is clear that the expectation of privacy at the time of recording is paramount.

A Multi-National Predator?

Reports indicate that Trahov’s activities were not limited to Ghana and Kenya. Online sleuths and news outlets have uncovered evidence suggesting he engaged in similar behaviour with women in Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, and Tanzania, pointing to a continent-wide pattern of alleged exploitation for financial gain.

In Kenya, the videos went viral on Friday, February 13, sparking similar outrage and calls for the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to act.

As the net tightens, one thing is certain: Ghana is determined to make an example of him.