Alleged Indian leader of neo-Nazi child abuse ring goes on trial in Paris

An Indian man goes on trial in Paris, accused of running a neo-Nazi child exploitation ring in which young girls were allegedly coerced into performing sexual acts online and engaging in self-harm.

The group is believed to have abused numerous young girls, most of them minors, in countries including the United States, the Netherlands, Britain and Estonia.

Investigators say the victims were targeted by a group of men from Germany, New Zealand and the United States who communicated on the popular messaging platform Discord. They espoused racist and antisemitic views and expressed hostility toward feminists and the LGBTQ community.

Rohan Rane, a 29-year-old Indian national who came to France to study at a business school in the southeastern city of Antibes before becoming a fitness coach, is described by investigators as the group’s leader.

He is being tried on charges including torture or acts of barbarity against minors, organized extortion and dissemination of child sexual abuse material. If convicted, he faces up to life in prison.