Rohan Rane on Trial in Paris Over Alleged Neo-Nazi Child Abuse Ring
The Rohan Rane trial opened in Paris on Monday, with a 29-year-old Indian national accused of running an online child exploitation ring whose members espoused neo-Nazi ideology. Rane, who faces up to life in prison, is described by investigators as the leader of an internet-based group known as CVLT that allegedly coerced young girls, most of them minors, into performing sexual acts online and harming themselves.
The group is believed to have targeted victims in the United States, the Netherlands, Britain and Estonia. According to investigators, men from Germany, New Zealand and the United States coordinated on the messaging platform Discord, sharing racist and antisemitic views alongside hostility towards feminists and the LGBT+ community.
What the Rohan Rane trial is about
Rane came to France to study at a business school in Antibes, a city in the southeast, before working as a fitness coach. He is being tried on charges including torture or acts of barbarity against minors, organised extortion and dissemination of child sexual abuse material.
A court document released by the US Department of Justice describes CVLT as espousing “neo-Nazism, nihilism, and paedophilia as its core principles.” The case began in November 2020, when the US National Center for Missing and Exploited Children flagged online images of a 12-year-old girl with her chest exposed, while another user encouraged her to carve the name “Rohan” into her body.
Trial held behind closed doors
The Paris criminal court ordered the proceedings behind closed doors on Monday, despite a plea for an open trial from Hippolyte Marquetty, the lawyer representing five American women, aged 18 to 21, who have joined the case as civil parties and are expected to testify by video link this week. Child protection groups backed the call for transparency.
Marquetty called the decision “paradoxical,” arguing that a defendant accused of isolating his victims should not be tried in secret. His clients, he said, want the case to raise awareness of the dangers teenage girls face on social media.
The presiding judge ruled that the group, which was particularly active in the United States, had already sought to intimidate victims and witnesses and had threatened American prosecutors. The court also cited the risk of offending public morality, noting that videos showing the torture and humiliation of victims, often under 15, are expected to be screened during proceedings that run until Friday.
The prosecutor had recommended closed doors, pointing to what he called “absolutely exemplary cooperation with the United States,” and saying publicity could jeopardise it. The request for secrecy had come from US authorities. Rane declined to comment on the closed-door ruling.
Why the case matters beyond France
The prosecution is one of the most significant European trials yet of an online exploitation network built on extremist ideology, and it underlines how platforms such as Discord have been used to organise abuse across borders. French investigators worked closely with US agencies, a cooperation both sides have praised.
For the victims, many of them children at the time of the alleged abuse, the verdict could bring the first measure of accountability after nearly six years. If convicted, Rane faces life imprisonment under French law.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Rohan Rane?
A 29-year-old Indian national who studied at a business school in Antibes, France, and later worked as a fitness coach. Investigators describe him as the leader of the CVLT online exploitation group.
What is the CVLT group accused of?
According to investigators and a US Department of Justice court document, CVLT was an internet-based group that coerced young girls, mostly minors, into sexual acts online and self-harm, while espousing neo-Nazi, nihilist and paedophilic ideology.
Why is the trial being held behind closed doors?
The court cited intimidation of victims and witnesses, threats against US prosecutors and the risk of offending public morality, since videos of the abuse of victims, often under 15, will be screened.
When will the trial conclude?
Proceedings are scheduled to run until Friday, October 9, 2026. The court has not announced when it will deliver its verdict.
