Sextortionist sentenced to 33 years for targeting 145 children
A Canadian man, Ramanan Pathmanathan, has been sentenced to 33 years in prison for a long-running sextortion scheme targeting over 145 children, primarily in the United States. The scheme involved blackmailing victims with the threat of releasing compromising images and videos, often fabricated, and demanding payment. This case highlights the serious and evolving threat of online exploitation and abuse of minors.
Ramanan Pathmanathan was convicted of coercion and production of child pornography after operating a sextortion scheme for eight years, beginning in 2014. He used multiple social media accounts to contact and manipulate victims, primarily children as young as six, by posing as a teenage boy from New Jersey and demanding they engage in sexually explicit conduct via video chat. He then threatened to share these recordings with the victims' families and friends if they refused to comply. The Justice Department documented instances where victims were directed to engage in acts with pets and family members, illustrating the extreme nature of the abuse.