ROYAL OAK — A 26-year-old Arab American woman from Macomb County is facing felony charges related to an alleged online sextortion scheme in which she is accused of luring men through adult websites and later threatening and extorting them for thousands of dollars.

According to local authorities, Marina Elissa Bazzi was arrested at her home in Macomb Township following an extensive investigation conducted by the Berkley Police Department in Oakland County, where two of the alleged victims reside.

Investigators say that between April and October 2025, Bazzi — who has a prior criminal record — used adult-oriented online platforms to contact male victims. Authorities allege that she offered sexual services before initiating a pattern of extortion and cyberstalking, demanding payments through digital payment applications in exchange for silence and refraining from exposing the victims.

In one case, police allege that Bazzi pressured an individual to pay $1,500 under threat of falsely accusing a relative of physical assault.

On February 17, a coordinated law enforcement operation — carried out in cooperation with multiple agencies, including the United States Marshals Service — resulted in her arrest. She was transported to the Oakland County Jail to face the charges.

Authorities also discovered that Bazzi had multiple active warrants related to similar fraud and scam offenses across various parts of the Detroit metropolitan area and as far west as Grand Rapids.

Bazzi appeared before the 44th District Court in Royal Oak, where she was charged with two felonies punishable by up to 20 years in prison: extortion and using a computer to commit a felony. She also faces three misdemeanor charges, including stalking, harassment and using a computer to commit a misdemeanor.

The court ordered Bazzi held on a $50,000 bond for the extortion charge and a $10,000 bond for the stalking charge pending further proceedings.

Michigan Department of Corrections records show that Bazzi has prior convictions dating back to 2016, when she was convicted of unarmed robbery and resisting and assaulting police officers, serving approximately two years in prison. In 2023, she was also convicted of malicious destruction of personal property valued between $200 and $1,000 and was placed on probation for two years.

Authorities are urging anyone who believes they may have been a victim of Bazzi’s alleged schemes to contact local law enforcement to assist in strengthening the case and ensuring justice is served.