Second Abuse Trial in Hamburg: 18-Year-Old Allegedly Acted Following the Model of the 764 Network

Parallels to the "White Tiger" Proceedings

In the assessment of the investigators, the case shows parallels to the proceedings that have been running since January against the 21-year-old German-Iranian known as "White Tiger," who likewise stands trial before the Hamburg Regional Court. "White Tiger" is said to have been the head of the international sadist network "764" and to have abused children and young people via the internet across continents; in one case, he allegedly drove a victim to death. He is tried for murder and further offenses in non-public hearings. The public prosecutor's office, however, sees no personal connection between the two defendants; the approach is, though, clearly oriented to the model of the 764 group.

According to the indictment, the 18-year-old is said to have founded online groups following the pattern of the "764" network or to have taken part in such groups. The founder of the network was sentenced to 80 years in prison in the United States, according to a report by the "Washington Post"; "764" is named after part of the postal code of the Texan town of Stephenville. According to ZDF research, there were also structures in Hamburg in which young people manipulated other young people until German authorities were called in.

How the Perpetrators Operate

Senior Public Prosecutor Jörg Angerer explained the phenomenon of such groups. He spoke of so-called COM networks, which the Federal Criminal Police Office classifies as internationally ramified groups on various online platforms. Young people would be drawn there into threats, blackmail, and self-harm. "Die Ziele sind höchst unterschiedlich", said Angerer with regard to the perpetrators: Some sought power, others sadistic gratification; self-produced photos and videos of the victims served as trophies. Asked about the size of the networks, he said: "Zur Größe der Netzwerke ist es schwer, etwas zu sagen ... Es sind sicherlich mehrere Tausend Beteiligte."

Child and adolescent psychiatrist Michael Schulte-Markwort warned that any normal child could become a victim, because children, as beings seeking relationships, were fundamentally inclined to place trust in others. "Das kann jedem normalen Kind passieren", he said. "Es ist überhaupt gar kein Wunder, dass das jeden Tag passiert." Schulte-Markwort explained that the perpetrators on the internet worked with a mixture of seduction and blackmail; the trust built up was often so deep that those affected confided in no one. Parents could recognize such a situation "allenfalls an einer Wesensveränderung bei ihrem Kind feststellen, dass das Kind verschlossener ist" – which, however, could also be explained by puberty.

Experts Call for Education and Media Literacy

Schulte-Markwort recommends that parents be attentive and actively accompany their children's media use without spying on them. He advocates for greater media literacy in Germany and for fostering a "gesundes Misstrauen" in children. Angerer sees education and awareness as the most important tools in the fight against such crimes. However, he was skeptical whether the offenses could be entirely prevented: "Verhindern, fürchte ich, wird man das nicht können - wie man Straftaten generell nicht verhindern kann." Platforms would have to monitor private communication more closely – something nobody really wanted.

Course of the Trial and Support Services

According to information from court circles, the Grand Criminal Chamber of the Regional Court has so far scheduled 16 trial dates up to mid-September. The hearings are not open to the public in order to protect the alleged victims. The accused, Fabian Z., is now 18 years old; according to the public prosecutor's office, some of the offenses attributed to him are said to have been committed while he was still a minor. The proceedings against "White Tiger" are continuing in parallel; the hearings there are likewise not open to the public. Whether either of the two proceedings will produce guilty pleas or plea agreements was initially unclear.

Alongside the judicial proceedings, experts point to support services. Mentioned in this context are the victim hotline of Weisser Ring e.V. at 116 006 as well as its online counseling service. For children and young people in acute crises, the reporting also points to the telephone counseling service at 0800 111 0 111 and the online service u25-deutschland.de. Angerer emphasized that, within the COM networks, the judiciary and investigative authorities work closely with international partners, including the FBI, which already played a central role in the investigation of the "764" network.