Prosecutors in Germany have detailed an online predator network that used the messaging app Telegram to share videos of rapes and provide instructions on how to drug victims. This network, which allegedly operated for years, primarily involved Chinese men targeting women, often of Chinese origin, in Germany.
Authorities believe the group referred to women as "cars," sedatives as "fuel," and rape as "driving" within their Telegram chats. Some posts reportedly included photos and videos of assaults on unconscious victims, whom they referred to as "dead pigs." The Frankfurt chief prosecutor, Dominik Mies, described the perpetrators as having "particular ruthlessness, an objectification of the victims, and the perfidious planning of their crimes."
The investigation has resulted in the convictions of three alleged members of the group's inner circle on charges including rape. A fourth man is currently on trial in Berlin. Details about the full scope of the operation, including the total number of attacks and perpetrators linked to the German chats, remain largely undisclosed to the public, partly due to German privacy laws that restrict public statements outside of court proceedings.
Concerns about the use of Telegram for criminal activity are not isolated to this case. The app's founder was arrested in Paris in 2024 amid allegations of the platform being used for illicit activities, including drug trafficking and the distribution of child sexual abuse images. Telegram has stated that sexual violence is forbidden by its terms of service and that it complies with legal obligations regarding harmful content.
This German investigation has drawn parallels to similar cases emerging globally. In Los Angeles, German investigators assisted police in a case involving alleged drug-facilitated sexual assaults by a Chinese graduate student. In the Netherlands, four men were arrested on suspicion of drugging and sexually abusing women, with Dutch police citing information from German and U.K. authorities. Europol recently launched "Project Medusa," an international operation targeting online networks promoting drug-facilitated sexual assaults, which has already led to 57 arrests.
The "German driving school for experts," as the group allegedly called itself, appears to have operated despite clear violations of Telegram's terms of service. Court documents indicate some chats date back to at least 2020, with some groups reportedly having up to 50,000 members. Police became aware of the network in 2024 after an individual in Frankfurt allegedly shifted tactics from targeting acquaintances to strangers met online.
One key figure, identified by German and Chinese media as the group's ringleader, was arrested in 2024. He was sentenced in February to 14 years in prison for aggravated rape, attempted murder, and other offenses, though he has appealed. Another defendant, Zhiting S., is facing charges including sexual assault and possessing child sexual abuse images. Prosecutors allege he provided advice on sedating women using drugs within a Telegram group, and that at least one attack followed his guidance. He is also accused of sexually abusing a woman in China and sharing images online.