Members of a sexual predator network on Telegram tried to hide their crimes with code words

Key Points:

• German prosecutors uncovered a Telegram network called the “German driving school for experts,” where mainly Chinese men shared rape videos, bragged about assaults, and exchanged tips on drugging women, referring to victims and crimes with coded language.
• The investigation has led to multiple convictions, including a recent five-year sentence for Zhiting S., and identified an inner circle of perpetrators, but the full extent of the network and number of victims remains unknown.
• The case has drawn international attention and parallels with similar global investigations into drug-facilitated sexual assaults, prompting coordinated law enforcement efforts like Europol’s “Project Medusa.”
• The Telegram platform’s role in enabling these crimes has raised concerns, as such content violated its terms of service but persisted for years, highlighting challenges in policing online criminal activity.
• The Chinese community in Germany has rallied in support of victims, while coverage and discussion in China have faced censorship, reflecting broader cultural and legal challenges in addressing sexual violence.