Indian fitness coach Rohan Sandeep Rane, 29, was tried behind closed doors in Paris on Monday for leading a neo‑Nazi child‑exploitation ring that coerced minors into sexual acts and self‑harm. The court heard that Rane, who arrived in France to study before turning to fitness coaching, headed the group CVLT—an online collective that mixed neo‑Nazism, nihilism, and pedophilia.
The ring used Discord and Instagram to groom victims, many under 15, exposing them to extremist content and forcing them to record self‑harm, such as cutting hair or drinking urine. A 12‑year‑old girl was found with the name "Rohan" scrawled on her chest after a user coerced her into doing so, according to a U.S. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children investigation.
French prosecutors alleged that CVLT threatened witnesses, even promising that fake security calls would force families to the street. The French court, acting on a U.S. request, sealed the proceedings to protect victims and uphold the integrity of the case.
Rane faces charges of torture, organized extortion and distribution of child sexual abuse material. The prosecution seeks a life sentence, reflecting the severity of the crimes and the international reach of the network, which also operated in the U.S., Netherlands, Britain and Estonia.
The trial is set to conclude on Friday. A verdict could lead to tighter cooperation between France and the United States on cross‑border child‑protection laws and may serve as a precedent for prosecuting online neo‑Nazi networks.