A 29-year-old Indian man faces a verdict Friday in a Paris trial over his alleged involvement in an international criminal network that targeted vulnerable children in the U.S., Britain and Canada and coerced them into producing violent and sexual videos.
The child victims were recruited via the online platform Discord to become “slaves” to a group known as CVLT, according to court documents in the case obtained by The Associated Press. At least three other members of the group have been arrested in the U.S.
Rohan Rane, allegedly one of the international online group’s leaders, has been on trial this week in Paris on charges including torture of minors, extortion, corrupting minors online and distributing child sex images.
Judges ordered the trial held behind closed doors in a rare move because the case involves abuse of children. Rane faces up to 20 years in prison in France if convicted.