Archive · 10 Oct 2026
Indian Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Paris Discord Abuse Case
A court in Paris sentenced Rohan Rane to 20 years in prison.
He was found guilty of crimes involving the abuse and extortion of children.
The case involved an online group called CVLT that used Discord.
Prosecutors said the group pressured children in several countries to make violent and sexual videos.
Investigators identified about 20 victims, though they could not contact everyone.
Rane was arrested in France in 2021 after U.S. authorities shared information with French investigators.
Most of the trial was held privately because it involved children.
Prosecutors had asked the court to sentence him to 30 years.
A Paris court sentenced 29-year-old Rohan Rane to 20 years in prison, the maximum for the charges he faced; prosecutors had sought 30 years.
Rane was convicted of offences including sexual extortion and torture or extreme cruelty against minors, in connection with the CVLT group.
Court documents and prosecutors said the group used Discord to target children in the United States, Britain and Canada and coerce them into making violent and sexual videos.
Investigators identified about 20 victims; six girls, then aged 18 to 21, filed official complaints, and many victims were reportedly younger than 15 when targeted.
Rane was arrested in Antibes in 2021 after information from U.S. authorities; proceedings were held in France before extradition was considered.
- Who
- Rohan Rane, 29, and the CVLT online group; the case involved child victims.
- What
- Rane was sentenced to 20 years in prison after being found guilty of offences including sexual extortion and acts of torture or extreme cruelty against minors.
- When
- The verdict was announced Friday night after five days of hearings; Rane was arrested in 2021.
- Where
- The trial took place in Paris, France; Rane was arrested in Antibes.
- Why
- The case concerned the targeting and coercion of children into producing violent and sexual videos.
Public attention and accountability
Privacy and protection in child-abuse proceedings
Whether proceedings should be open
Public attention and accountability
ECPAT 360 representatives said civil parties advocated for an open trial to draw attention to online violence against children.
Privacy and protection in child-abuse proceedings
Judges ordered the trial held behind closed doors because it involved the abuse of children.
Appropriate sentence
Public attention and accountability
Prosecutors sought 30 years, while a lawyer for U.S. victims said the sentence should match the severity of the actions and protect society.
Privacy and protection in child-abuse proceedings
The court sentenced Rane to 20 years; the articles do not report a public response from Rane's lawyer.
- Sentence
- 20 years in prison; the first article describes it as the maximum for the charges he faced
- Prosecution request
- Prosecutors sought a 30-year sentence
- Defendant
- Rohan Rane, 29, originally from Pune, India
- Group and platform
- CVLT operated on Discord
- Victims identified
- Investigators identified around 20 victims; six girls filed official complaints
- Countries named
- The United States, Britain and Canada
- Arrest
- Rane was arrested in Antibes in 2021 after information from U.S. authorities
- Trial
- Most hearings were held behind closed doors because the case involved child abuse
