A 29-year-old Indian man, Rohan Rane, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison by a Paris court for leading an online group that coerced vulnerable children, including minors, into performing sexual acts and producing violent videos, according to media reports.
Rane was convicted for his involvement in an international criminal network that targeted children in the United States, Britain and Canada. The trial began on Monday before a special criminal court in Paris and was conducted largely behind closed doors, France 24 reported.
Prosecutors had sought a 30-year prison sentence, describing Rane as an admirer of neo-Nazi ideology, sadism and extreme violence. After five days of hearings, the court found him guilty of offences including extortion committed by an Organised gang, with aggravating circumstances involving torture and acts of barbarity against victims.
Group Targeted Vulnerable Children
The network, known as “CVLT”, operated on the Discord platform before the Covid-19 pandemic and was led by Rane, according to prosecutors. The group was reportedly driven by nihilism, racism, antisemitism, Nazi imagery and hostility towards feminists and the LGBTQ community.
Most of the dozens of victims identified were American girls, many of them under 15 years old. The group also included young male members from the United States, India, Germany and New Zealand.
Six victims, now aged between 18 and 21, formally filed complaints. Prosecutors said approximately 20 victims had been identified, although some could not be contacted.
Arrest Followed International Investigation
Rane moved to France to study at a commercial school in Antibes, in the south of the country, before working as a sports coach.
He was first arrested in France in 2021 after US authorities provided information about his alleged leadership of the CVLT network and statements in which he reportedly expressed his desire to fulfil his sadistic impulses.
The case highlights the international reach of online criminal networks that exploit vulnerable children across national borders.
