A former member of the Labour party is facing charges related to an alleged scheme targeting Members of Parliament. Oliver Steadman, aged 28, is accused of engaging in blackmail by reportedly requesting the contact details of 12 individuals from one of the victims. It is claimed that he utilized WhatsApp to send messages to five individuals within Westminster circles, according to law enforcement authorities.
Multiple individuals, including MPs from both the Conservative and Labour parties, were purportedly approached with flirtatious messages by an individual using the names “Charlie” or “Abi.” Following the exchange of explicit photos, it was reported that at least two MPs reciprocated by sending similar images.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has announced that Mr. Steadman is facing charges related to five communication offenses. Malcolm McHaffie, who heads the CPS Special Crime Division, stated that the decision to prosecute was made after an investigation by the Metropolitan Police Service revealed alleged unsolicited indecent images being sent via WhatsApp to individuals within political circles between October 2023 and April 2024.
Mr. Steadman is scheduled to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 3 November 2025, for an initial hearing. He resigned from his position as a Labour councillor on Islington Council in North London in June of the previous year and is currently suspended from the party.
Having been arrested in June of the previous year, Mr. Steadman has been on bail since then and is now remanded to appear in court in November. The affected individuals are receiving ongoing support and guidance from the authorities.
