Man arrested in Germany for driving teens to suicide via Internet

A 20-year-old man from Hamburg is alleged to have pressured mentally vulnerable teenagers to self-harm and engage in sexual acts on camera online, and in one case, even drove them to suicide. As the public prosecutor's office and police announced on Wednesday, he was arrested on Tuesday following an intensive investigation by a specially established special commission. The young man is therefore being investigated on suspicion of murder and attempted murder, among other things.

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According to investigators, there are a total of eight child and adolescent victims, aged between 16 and 19, whom the accused made emotionally dependent on him and then tortured between 2021 and 2023. He is said to have acted as a "relevant member" of an international internet group called 764, which focuses on such crimes.

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According to authorities, its members use social media to specifically seek contact with "particularly vulnerable victims" and use psychological pressure to drive them to commit extreme acts against themselves. The 20-year-old is alleged to have pressured his victims to engage in sexual acts and self-harm in live chats. He allegedly recorded these acts and threatened to publish them in order to later force the victims to commit even more extreme acts.

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In one case, the suspect allegedly influenced a 13-year-old to the point of suicide. He allegedly used another "child victim" for this purpose. The 13-year-old reportedly hanged himself during a live internet stream. In other cases, suicide attempts are also alleged. In total, the accused is charged with more than 120 crimes.

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As per the police and prosecutors, the 20-year-old was arrested at his home address in Hamburg. The raid, which also involved special forces, marked the conclusion of a "proceeding with international implications." Investigators in the Hanseatic city did not provide any further details on the background.

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According to media reports, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) initiated the investigation against the man following a tip-off to German authorities. The 13-year-old, who committed suicide, was reportedly living in the US. Another victim is said to have been a girl from Canada. Investigators in Hamburg subsequently formed a special task force called Mantacore.