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Extorted on Snapchat | Morning Newsletter

And Philly’s federal workers weigh buyouts.

Jack Sullivan, who died on Jan. 4, 2023, after falling prey to a sextortion scheme by so-called Yahoo Boys.
Jack Sullivan, who died on Jan. 4, 2023, after falling prey to a sextortion scheme by so-called Yahoo Boys.Read moreCourtesy of Kevin O'Brien

    The Morning Newsletter

    Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter

We made it to the end of January, Philly.

A Montgomery County college student died after being extorted on Instagram and Snapchat. His family blames the social platforms.

And Philadelphia’s federal workers are worried about job security and government services amid Trump administration shakeups, including this week’s buyout offer.

— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

P.S. Friday means games! Our latest news quiz includes questions on Lunar New Year, a mural misspelling, and more. And Birdle, our twist on another popular word game, is back in honor of the Birds’ playoffs run. Can you guess the Eagles-related word of the day?

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Twenty-year-old Jack Sullivan’s January 2023 death on SEPTA train tracks came as a shock to his family.

As they would later discover, the Kutztown University sophomore had fallen victim to an online sexual-extortion scam by a Nigerian group known as the “Yahoo Boys.” Communicating via Snapchat and Instagram, members of the group posed as a young woman, solicited intimate photos of Sullivan, and then threatened to release them if he didn’t continually send them funds.

Sullivan’s death was ruled first a suicide, then a homicide once details of the events leading up to it became clear. Now, his parents are suing the social media companies that they say facilitated the crime.

Reporter Abraham Gutman digs into the ongoing debate over the harms of social media use and a Montco family’s quest to keep other young people safe.

The Philadelphia region is home to tens of thousands of federal workers in fields ranging from veterans benefits to the National Park Service. On Tuesday, those workers and others across the country received a memo from President Donald Trump’s administration offering them eight months’ pay if they resign by Feb. 6.

The directive is part of an effort by the White House to downsize the federal workforce in the name of government efficiency, as well as to ensure employees are “reliable, loyal, trustworthy,” according to the memo. It’s also causing fear that essential services won’t be deployed.

“You cannot just pull people out of an organization that provides the breadth of services that we provide that are truly needed, and expect that … there will not be severe impacts on the American people,” a local union rep told The Inquirer.

Reporters Ariana Perez-Castells and Fallon Roth spoke with federal workers from across several agencies about the fallout from the buyout offer.

In other federal policy news: Philly-area art groups are bracing themselves for possible funding cuts under Trump. And City Council members on Thursday criticized the president after his federal funding memo caused a week of chaos for state and local governments.

What you should know today

  1. The Philadelphia Skating Club has confirmed several local skaters died in the plane crash outside of Washington, D.C., on Wednesday night.

  2. Sanitation workers found a body stuffed in a trash can in the middle of a West Philly park on Thursday morning. Police are investigating the matter as a homicide.

  3. Rothman Orthopaedic Institute has sued the lawyers who represented it in a former Eagles captain’s $43.5 million malpractice trial.

  4. As Pennsylvania’s immigrant community worries over deportations, a vehicle and its driver presenting as a member of “ICE Volunteer Corps” is stirring anxieties in Chester County.

  5. Gov. Josh Shapiro will pitch legalizing recreational marijuana next week in his budget address. The GOP Senate still isn’t sold.

  6. Philadelphia Democrats are frustrated with Senate Democratic leadership after a deal was struck between top politicians to fill judicial vacancies statewide — except in Philly.

  7. Global energy giant Shell announced Thursday that it has withdrawn from the Atlantic Shores offshore wind project in New Jersey, another blow to the state’s ambitious renewable energy plans.

  8. Philly schools are moving in the right direction, Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. said Thursday in his second “State of the Schools” address. Here’s what he says is working.

Welcome back to Curious Philly Friday. We’ll feature both new and timeless stories from our forum for readers to ask about the city’s quirks.

This week, with the country’s upcoming semiquincentennial in the news, we’re resurfacing an explainer on its 100th birthday party. In 1876, Fairmount Park had around 200 buildings for the centennial celebration. Now, just two remain: Memorial Hall, home to the Please Touch Museum, and the stately Ohio House, named so because it’s made of Ohio stone.

The rest of the buildings were demolished — but they were never built to last. Here’s the full explanation.

Have your own burning question about Philadelphia, its local oddities, or how the region works? Submit it here and you might find the answer featured in this space.

🧠 Trivia time

Former Phillies general manager Ed Wade is out of baseball and now trying his hand as what?

A) Novelist

B) Golfing coach

C) Politician

D) Long-distance runner

Think you know? Check your answer.

What we’re...

⚖️ Learning: Our rights in case ICE comes to our homes or work (y en español).

🏆 Remembering: This week in Philly history, when Wing Bowl got its start.

👀 Eager to see: How the Montco-native M. Night Shyamalan x Nicholas Sparks film collab turns out.

🎨 Congratulating: These four Philly artists receiving the United States Artists Fellowship award.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: When dining establishments offer discounted prix-fixe menus

AWAKEN UTTERERS

Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to Wilson Goode Jr., who solved Thursday’s anagram: Central High School. The public magnet school in Logan recently hosted a West Chester University program that aims to get students from under-resourced communities interested in STEM.

Image of the day

🦅 One last colorful thing: Keep the celebratory pre-Super Bowl vibes going with our Eagles coloring pages, featuring Jalen, Saquon, and a bald eagle.

Thanks for ending your month with The Inquirer. Wishing you an easy start to February.

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