Frenchman charged with commissioning online pedophile crimes in Colombia

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PARIS — A 55-year-old Frenchman suspected of commissioning online pedophile crimes in Colombia has been arrested and charged in France, the Paris prosecutor’s office said on Saturday.

The suspect was charged this week with complicity in human trafficking involving minors under the age of 15 who had been raped, rape and sexual assault of minors including incestuous acts, as well as acquisition, possession and consultation of pornographic images of minors. He was remanded in custody.

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The prosecutor’s office said it worked with Colombian authorities and that the operation led to the simultaneous arrests of the suspect, local perpetrators and middlemen, the so-called money runners. Several victims were also identified and sheltered.

Investigations revealed that the suspect had transferred more than 30,000 euros (US$35,000) to several people in Colombia in exchange for images of young children being sexually abused, the prosecutor’s office said. Weapons were also found at the individual’s home.

Online pedophile crime, also known as livestreaming, involves commissioning sexual assaults and rapes of minors in other countries from one’s own country, generally in return for payment from the relatives of the victims, who are directly involved. The perpetrators then watch these videos live.