A sexual predator network operating on Telegram used a chilling lexicon of code words to conceal their crimes, referring to women as “cars,” sedatives as “fuel,” and rape as “driving,” according to court documents. Victims were dehumanizingly called “dead pigs” in posts that sometimes included photos and videos of attacks on unconscious individuals.
Frankfurt chief prosecutor Dominik Mies described the perpetrators as characterized by “a particular ruthlessness, an objectification of the victims, and the perfidious planning of their crimes.” The investigation into these German Telegram chats, some of which reportedly had tens of thousands of members and date back to at least 2020, has led to recent convictions.
One key figure, Dapeng Z., identified by German and Chinese media as the group’s ringleader, was arrested in 2024 in Frankfurt in cooperation with Chinese law enforcement. Prosecutors stated he had shifted his tactics from targeting female acquaintances to strangers met online. He was sentenced in February to 14 years in prison for aggravated rape, attempted murder, and other offenses, though he has appealed the verdict. Additionally, Zhiting S., a 32-year-old trained medic, was convicted on Wednesday as an accessory to rape, among other charges, receiving a five-year prison sentence. The Berlin state court found that Zhiting S. had advised on specific sedatives in the chats before an assault by the man convicted in Frankfurt. His defense also plans to appeal.
Attorney Magdalena Gebhard, who represented a victim in a previous Berlin trial, indicated an inner circle of eight perpetrators, with some chat groups swelling to up to 50,000 members. Police only became aware of the network in 2024. Major details of the investigation remain unknown, at least to the public, including how many attacks and perpetrators have been linked to the German Telegram chats and how the chats, some of which reportedly had tens of thousands of members, could have operated for so long. Authorities have not publicly disclosed the total number of victims, but the ongoing investigation suggests potential for further arrests and more identified victims, such as Gebhard’s client who only learned of her assault after investigators uncovered video footage. It’s also unclear if the chats are linked to a ballooning investigation in Europe and the Americas into drug-facilitated sexual assaults by misogynist online communities.
The German cases have drawn comparisons to the widely publicized attacks on Gisèle Pelicot, a French woman repeatedly drugged and raped over nearly a decade. Judge Markus Koppenleitner, speaking at a Munich hearing for one of the convicted Chinese men, emphasized that this is “not a Chinese or French phenomenon, but one that also exists in Germany and, ultimately, worldwide.”
Indeed, similar cases, sometimes dubbed the “German driving school” investigation, are emerging globally. While authorities haven’t publicly linked them to the German prosecutions, some investigators credit tips from German authorities and journalists. Last year, German investigators alerted Los Angeles police about a potential suspect, a Chinese graduate student accused of drugging and sexually assaulting three women after allegedly procuring drugs from a Chinese national in Germany. Last month, Dutch police arrested four men suspected of similar crimes after receiving information from German and U.K. authorities, noting the alleged perpetrators used social media to disseminate abuse videos and discuss drugging victims. Europol, the EU’s police agency, recently launched “Project Medusa,” an international operation led by German and U.K. law enforcement, which has already resulted in 57 arrests aimed at dismantling online networks promoting drug-facilitated sexual assaults.
Despite clear violations of Telegram’s terms of service, the German predator network thrived, raising significant questions about the platform’s role in facilitating criminal activity. In 2024, Telegram’s founder was arrested in Paris over allegations that the app was used for illicit activities, including drug trafficking and child sexual abuse image distribution. He denied wrongdoing, attributing the issues to “growing pains” from a surge in users. Telegram stated that “sexual violence is explicitly forbidden” and such content is “routinely removed,” adding it “fulfils all of its legal obligations,” including those under the EU’s Digital Services Act. However, the company did not respond to questions regarding the German cases, specifically how photos, videos, and comments about sexual crimes were posted for years, whether Telegram was aware, and what actions, if any, were taken to alert authorities.
In Germany, the investigation has garnered less public attention than expected, partly due to strict privacy laws that limit what prosecutors can disclose and restrict public access to court documents and proceedings. However, members of Germany’s Chinese community, predominantly women, have been attending court proceedings to support victims. Fu Xiao, who traveled 500 kilometers (310 miles) to Berlin, expressed outrage, stating, “What makes one really angry is to see that such groups hate women, they have no respect. Women aren’t seen as people.” In China, state media has covered the cases comprehensively, but wider discussion on Chinese-language social media like Rednote has faced partial censorship, with certain tags more likely to result in post deletion or bans. Posts using less direct language, such as those referring to “date rape” or “students studying abroad in Germany,” have evaded censors. China’s Ministry of Public Security and Rednote did not respond to requests for comment.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This story includes discussion of sexual violence. If you or someone you know needs help, please call 1-800-656-4673 in the U.S., 116 016 in Germany or 15117905157 in China.
Wu reported from Bangkok. Associated Press reporters Geir Moulson and Fanny Brodersen in Berlin, Molly Quell and Mike Corder in The Hague, Netherlands, Jaimie Ding in Los Angeles and Jill Lawless in London contributed to this report.
