Predator or Guest? Naming the Dark Side of Digital “Passport Bros” in Africa

Dmitry Baryshev

A disturbing scandal has erupted across the continent, forcing an urgent reckoning with exploitation, consent, and power in the digital age. At the centre of the storm is Dmitry Baryshev, a Russian national whose alleged conduct has sparked outrage in Ghana, Kenya, and beyond.

Baryshev, described online as a digital content creator, is accused of secretly filming intimate encounters with local women and uploading the material without their informed consent. The case has reignited debate about the so-called “passport bros” phenomenon, where foreign men leverage mobility, money, and online platforms to exploit African women under the guise of romance, travel, or lifestyle content.

Allegations of Exploitation and Malice

According to multiple reports circulating online, Baryshev allegedly lured women into relationships or casual encounters, only for them to later discover they had been recorded and exposed on the internet. More alarming are viral claims not yet verified by health authorities, suggesting he may have deliberately exposed women to HIV.

While such health-related allegations must be treated with caution, activists warn that the damage caused by online humiliation is already evident. Several women linked to the scandal are reported to have suffered severe psychological distress, with unconfirmed accounts of suicides amplifying public anger. For the accused, the videos allegedly served as shock-value “content” designed to attract clicks. For the women involved, they represent a profound violation of privacy, dignity, and personal safety.

Race, Power, and Privilege

Pan-African commentators argue that this case reflects a wider pattern of digital exploitation. Critics say Africa is increasingly treated by predatory foreigners as a low-risk environment where social and legal consequences are weaker than in Europe or North America.

The debate inevitably turns to race and economics. While poverty can increase vulnerability, campaigners stress that the core issue is not women’s choices but outsiders who see African bodies as commodities. Wrapped in influencer culture, this behaviour is widely described as a modern mutation of sex tourism amplified by smartphones and global platforms.

Lessons in Vigilance

The scandal highlights how risk has evolved in the era of social media and dating apps:

• Digital Consent: Once a phone or camera is involved, privacy is at stake. Non-consensual filming is a criminal offence under laws such as Kenya’s Data Protection Act.

• The Myth of the “Safe” Traveler: A foreign passport is not proof of good health or good intentions.

• Vetting Is Essential: In an age of influencers and “passport bros”, caution and background checks are no longer optional.

A Call for Accountability

Civil society groups are urging African governments to respond decisively. That includes enforcing privacy and cybercrime laws, cooperating across borders, and treating digital sexual exploitation as a serious human rights violation. Africa is not a backdrop for clicks or clout. It is home. Protecting women from digital predators is not only a legal obligation but a moral one.

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