PARIS, OCT 10: A 29-year-old Indian man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison by a Paris court for leading an international online criminal network that coerced young girls, including minors, into performing sexual acts and producing violent videos, according to media reports.
Rohan Rane, who had travelled to France for his studies, was convicted following a trial before a special criminal court in Paris. The proceedings began on Monday and were held largely behind closed doors, France 24 reported.
The court found Rane guilty of offences including extortion committed by an organised group, with aggravating circumstances involving acts of torture and extreme brutality against victims. Prosecutors had sought a 30-year prison sentence.
Victims Targeted Across Multiple Countries
According to prosecutors, the network targeted vulnerable children in the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada, coercing them into creating sexual and violent material.
Most of the identified victims were American girls, many of whom were under 15 years of age. Authorities identified around 20 victims, while six girls, now aged between 18 and 21, filed formal complaints. Investigators said some other victims could not be contacted.
The group, known as “CVLT”, reportedly became active on the Discord platform before the COVID-19 pandemic. Prosecutors described its ideology as involving nihilism, racism, anti-Semitism, Nazi imagery and hostility towards feminists and the LGBTQ+ community.
Young male members of the group reportedly came from several countries, including the United States, India, Germany and New Zealand.
Arrest Followed International Investigation
Rane had moved to France to attend a commercial school in Antibes, a town in the south of the country, before later working as a sports coach.
He was first arrested in France in 2021 after US authorities provided information about his alleged leadership of the online network and his stated intentions to commit acts of sadism.
Following five days of hearings, the Paris court delivered its verdict and sentenced him to 20 years in prison.
The case highlights the cross-border challenges faced by law enforcement agencies in investigating online criminal networks that target vulnerable children through digital platforms.
