What is the extortion scheme related to Ashley Madison users?

The extortion scheme related to Ashley Madison users began after the infamous 2015 data breach where personal details, including the names and contact information of users of the Ashley Madison website – a service tailored towards people seeking extramarital affairs – were stolen and subsequently published online. Extortionists and scammers leveraged this sensitive information by threatening to expose users' infidelities unless they paid a ransom. Victims received personalized messages demanding payment in return for silence, with the threat that failure to comply would result in friends, family, and employers learning of their use of the site. This exploitation of privacy concerns caused significant distress among the affected individuals. These activities showcased vulnerabilities not only in digital security systems but also highlighted the ethical implications for websites hosting confidential user data.