Latest news with #OFMIN
RNZ News
23-05-2025
- RNZ News
55 men arrested in France in major operation to bust online paedophile ring
By Pierre Bairin and Max Saltman , CNN File photo. Photo: 123RF Fifty-five men from across France have been arrested as part of a large-scale operation to dismantle a paedophile network operating through the messaging service Telegram, according to France's Office for the Protection of Minors. The suspects, aged between 25 and 75, are accused of exchanging messages on Telegram with an "extremely dangerous" child sex offender who was incarcerated in the summer of 2024, and whose own children were rescued after being abused, Quentin Bevan, head of the OFMIN's operational unit told CNN on Thursday. "These 55 individuals all exchanged CSAM imagery (Child Sexual Abuse Material) with the dangerous paedophile, so we had digital evidence implicating all of them," said Bevan. Bevan said that the arrests are "the fruit of a 10-month long investigation." "It was a major investigation and infiltration operation on this Telegram group," Bevan said. "We had to follow the exchanges, analyse them, and identify the individuals hiding behind these Telegram pseudonyms - especially those who had children, had criminal records, or worked in sensitive professions involving contact with children." Bevan said the men are from all ages and backgrounds: fathers, civil servants, military personnel, and paramedics. In France, the possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material is punishable by a five-year prison sentence and a €100,000 (NZ$190k) fine. In a statement to CNN, Telegram spokesperson Remi Vaughn said the company has taken "extensive measures to combat child abuse." He said more than 367,000 groups and channels related to child sex abuse material have been removed in 2025 so far, as a result of its efforts. This is not the first high-profile case involving the platform in France. In August 2024, Telegram founder Pavel Durov was detained at Paris's Bourget Airport on a warrant related to Telegram's moderation policies. French authorities indicted Durov on 28 August 2024 on several charges, including money laundering and spreading child sex abuse material. Durov said in a statement soon afterwards that he was committed to improving his app's moderation and that authorities were trying to hold him "personally responsible for other people's illegal use of Telegram." -CNN
Express Tribune
22-05-2025
- Express Tribune
France arrests 55 men in crackdown on paedophile ring
Dozens of men aged from 25 to 75 arrested in connection of pedophile activities in France. PHOTO: PEXELS Listen to article Fifty-five men, including a priest, a paramedic, and a music teacher, were arrested in France this week as part of an operation to dismantle a suspected paedophile ring operating via the Telegram messaging app, authorities said on Thursday. The arrests took place in 42 departments over possession, distribution and regular viewing of pornography involving children 'under the age of 10', France's OFMIN, which is tasked with preventing violence against minors, told AFP. OFMIN issued the warrant that led to the arrest of Telegram founder Pavel Durov in Paris in 2024, and he remains under formal investigation by French authorities over illegal content on the popular service. The arrests of the 55 men aged 25 to 75, which followed a 10-month investigation, took place from Monday to Thursday. The men exchanged messages on Telegram and were in contact with 'extremely dangerous' child sex abusers who have been in prison since last summer, Quentin Bevan, head of OFMIN's operational unit, told AFP. The large-scale operation began last summer with the arrest of individuals suspected of abusing children and posting images on Telegram. The suspects are being investigated for human trafficking and face life imprisonment. 'It took 10 months of investigation to track down these child abusers,' Bevan said. 'Ten months of undercover work involving thousands of exchanges, analysis and detection of paedophile images by a task force set up at the OFMIN.' The suspects either have children or grandchildren, or come into contact with children at work. Some of the suspects boasted of abusing children while they slept, but now claim they did not actually commit any crimes, according to investigators. 'Pedophile den' In a separate case, Durov has been charged with several counts of failing to curb extremist content. Investigators have confronted him with specific cases ranging from child abuse to drug trading, scams, arms sales and the hiring of hitmen. The Russian-born entrepreneur has since announced steps appearing to bow to Paris's demands. While Bevan acknowledged progress in Telegram's cooperation with investigators since Durov's arrest, he said the platform was 'barely fulfilling its legal obligations'. He said that Telegram remains a 'pedophile den' and a 'platform of choice' for child abusers. Telegram rejected the accusation in a statement on Thursday, saying that it 'meets and exceeds its legal obligations to fight harmful content'. The messaging platform has 'always complied with EU law' and 'consistently responded to all binding legal requests for years', the company added. Durov says Telegram has also sought to fight against child abuse for years. In June 2024, France shut down the adult website Coco which was used to commit numerous sex crimes such as child sex abuse and rape. After that, some perpetrators of child sex abuse are believed to have switched to Telegram, according to an investigator.
eNCA
22-05-2025
- eNCA
France detains 55 men in child sex abuse crackdown
Fifty-five men including a priest, a paramedic, and a music teacher were arrested in France this week as part of an operation to dismantle a suspected paedophile ring operating via the Telegram messaging app, authorities said on Thursday. The arrests took place in 42 departments over possession, distribution and regular viewing of pornography involving children "under the age of 10", France's OFMIN, which is tasked with preventing violence against minors, told AFP. OFMIN issued the warrant that led to the arrest of Telegram founder Pavel Durov in Paris in 2024, and he remains under formal investigation by French authorities over illegal content on the popular service. The arrests of the 55 men aged 25 to 75, which followed a 10-month investigation, took place from Monday to Thursday. The men exchanged messages on Telegram and were in contact with "extremely dangerous" child sex abusers who have been in prison since last summer, Quentin Bevan, head of OFMIN's operational unit, told AFP. The large-scale operation began last summer with the arrest of individuals suspected of abusing children and posting images on Telegram. The suspects are being investigated for human trafficking and face life imprisonment. "It took 10 months of investigation to track down these child abusers," Bevan said. "Ten months of undercover work involving thousands of exchanges, analysis and detection of paedophile images by a task force set up at the OFMIN." The suspects either have children or grandchildren or come into contact with children at work. Some of the suspects boasted of abusing children while they slept but now claim they did not actually commit any crimes, according to investigators. - 'Paedophile den' - In a separate case, Durov has been charged with several counts of failing to curb extremist content. Investigators have confronted him with specific cases ranging from child abuse to drug trading, scams, arms sales and the hiring of hitmen. The Russian-born entrepreneur has since announced steps appearing to bow to Paris's demands. While Bevan acknowledged progress in Telegram's cooperation with investigators since Durov's arrest, he said the platform was "barely fulfilling its legal obligations". He said that Telegram remains a "paedophile den" and a "platform of choice" for child abusers. Telegram rejected the accusation in a statement on Thursday, saying that it "meets and exceeds its legal obligations to fight harmful content". The messaging platform has "always complied with EU law" and "consistently responded to all binding legal requests for years", the company added. Durov says Telegram has also sought to fight against child abuse for years. In June 2024, France shut down the adult website Coco which was used to commit numerous sex crimes such as child sex abuse and rape. After that some perpetrators of child sex abuse are believed to have switched to Telegram, according to an investigator.
CNN
22-05-2025
- CNN
55 men arrested in France in major operation to bust online pedophile ring
Fifty-five men from across France were arrested between Monday and Thursday morning as part of a large-scale operation to dismantle a pedophile network operating through the messaging service Telegram, according to France's Office for the Protection of Minors. The suspects, aged between 25 and 75, are accused of exchanging messages on Telegram with an 'extremely dangerous' child sex offender who was incarcerated in the summer of 2024, and whose own children were rescued after being abused, Quentin Bevan, head of the OFMIN's operational unit told CNN on Thursday. 'These 55 individuals all exchanged CSAM imagery (Child Sexual Abuse Material) with the dangerous pedophile, so we had digital evidence implicating all of them,' said Bevan. Bevan said that the arrests are 'the fruit of a ten-month long investigation.' 'It was a major investigation and infiltration operation on this Telegram group,' Bevan said. 'We had to follow the exchanges, analyze them, and identify the individuals hiding behind these Telegram pseudonyms — especially those who had children, had criminal records, or worked in sensitive professions involving contact with children.' Bevan said the men are from all ages and backgrounds: fathers, civil servants, military personnel, and France, the possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material is punishable by a five-year prison sentence and a €100,000 ($112,747) fine. CNN has reached out to Telegram for comment on the arrests. This is not the first high-profile case involving the platform in France. In August 2024, Telegram founder Pavel Durov was detained at Paris's Bourget Airport on a warrant related to Telegram's moderation policies. French authorities indicted Durov on August 28, 2024 on several charges, including money laundering and spreading child sex abuse material. Durov said in a statement soon afterwards that he was committed to improving his app's moderation and that authorities were trying to hold him 'personally responsible for other people's illegal use of Telegram.'
CNN
22-05-2025
- CNN
55 men arrested in France in major operation to bust online pedophile ring
Fifty-five men from across France were arrested between Monday and Thursday morning as part of a large-scale operation to dismantle a pedophile network operating through the messaging service Telegram, according to France's Office for the Protection of Minors. The suspects, aged between 25 and 75, are accused of exchanging messages on Telegram with an 'extremely dangerous' child sex offender who was incarcerated in the summer of 2024, and whose own children were rescued after being abused, Quentin Bevan, head of the OFMIN's operational unit told CNN on Thursday. 'These 55 individuals all exchanged CSAM imagery (Child Sexual Abuse Material) with the dangerous pedophile, so we had digital evidence implicating all of them,' said Bevan. Bevan said that the arrests are 'the fruit of a ten-month long investigation.' 'It was a major investigation and infiltration operation on this Telegram group,' Bevan said. 'We had to follow the exchanges, analyze them, and identify the individuals hiding behind these Telegram pseudonyms — especially those who had children, had criminal records, or worked in sensitive professions involving contact with children.' Bevan said the men are from all ages and backgrounds: fathers, civil servants, military personnel, and France, the possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material is punishable by a five-year prison sentence and a €100,000 ($112,747) fine. CNN has reached out to Telegram for comment on the arrests. This is not the first high-profile case involving the platform in France. In August 2024, Telegram founder Pavel Durov was detained at Paris's Bourget Airport on a warrant related to Telegram's moderation policies. French authorities indicted Durov on August 28, 2024 on several charges, including money laundering and spreading child sex abuse material. Durov said in a statement soon afterwards that he was committed to improving his app's moderation and that authorities were trying to hold him 'personally responsible for other people's illegal use of Telegram.'
