German authorities recently busted the owner of a popular child pornography website called ‘Elysium’. The website, in existence since late 2016, was home to over 87,000 users.
The website was not only home to graphic pictures and videos, but detailed plans on meeting children in order to abuse them. According to Frankfurt public prosecutor and Germany’s BKA Federal Police, several people have already been arrested in connection to the site.
Included in the arrests was the 39-year-old website owner. The unnamed man is in custody as of June 12, thanks to a raid on his apartment where the server hosting the site was seized.
Prosecutors involved in the case report that the website was home to some of the most disturbing things they’d ever witnessed.
“Among the child pornographic images and video files exchanged by the members of the platform were recordings of the most serious sexual abuse of children, including toddlers and depictions of sexual violence against children.”
Additional information on those arrested and the investigation leading up to the bust will be discussed during the press conference on July 7, 2017.
This disturbing find is one of many in the last couple months. Earlier this year, another child pornography ring was busted in Europe; taking down almost 900 criminals in the process.
“Shedding light on the scope of the operation which is still active, the FBI revealed that in the US alone, 350 arrests were made as part of a wide-ranging investigation into Playpen – a secret website that is being referred to as possibly the biggest child pornography online dump that ever existed.
Europe accounts for the major share of arrests and convictions with 368 suspects being charged. A total of 870 arrests were made in connection with the case, according to Europol.”
Let’s hope that these disturbing websites continue to be taken down.