Man dubbed “White Tiger” charged with murder over U.S. teen’s livestreamed suicide
A man accused of luring children around the world into a sadistic online abuse ring was charged Wednesday by German prosecutors with hundreds of crimes, including murder, over the livestream suicide of a 13-year-old American.
Using the pseudonym “White Tiger”, the 21-year-old Hamburg German-Iranian national allegedly victimized more than 30 children by abusing, manipulating and sexually exploiting them online as part of a virtual network of abusers known as “764”. In April, the network’s leaders were arrested and charged for allegedly operating “one of the most heinous online child exploitation enterprises” officials have ever seen, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
“White Tiger” allegedly forced a 13-year-old American boy to commit suicide in 2022, which was broadcast live.
Authorities said the crimes occurred between January 2021, when the suspect was 16, and September 2023, when he was 19.
Hamburg prosecutors announced 204 criminal charges against him, including allegations that he committed murder and five attempted murders as an “indirect perpetrator.”
“White Tiger” would find vulnerable children and teens in online chats or games, develop a bond to groom them for abuse, then exploit them to produce pornographic content and harm themselves on video, authorities said.
The man was arrested at his parents’ home in June. The suspect, who for some time studied medicine at a private university, denies all charges against him, reports Spiegel.
Authorities said at the time they had identified eight “White Tiger” victims aged 11 to 15 from Germany, England, Canada and the United States. A 14-year-old Canadian girl linked to the case attempted suicide, Der Spiegel reported.
The case has sparked horrified reactions and raised questions about whether German authorities could have acted sooner and prevented some of the abuses.
The Zeit newspaper reported that the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) in the United States alerted German authorities in 2021 to an apparently Hamburg-based predator known as the “White Tiger.”
According to the newspaper, NCMEC provided a document of approximately 40 pages containing transcripts of chats from the online platform Discord in which “White Tiger” demanded photos of two young girls, urging them to harm themselves and suggesting they commit suicide.
Police questioned the suspect at the time, but he was not arrested until this year.
During the arrest, police also seized illegal weapons – knives, brass knuckles and a baton – as well as computers and hard drives, which are still being analyzed, according to prosecutors.
The criminal proceedings will take place behind closed doors, the Hamburg public prosecutor’s office said.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth ages 10 to 14 in the United States.
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or suicidal crisis, you can reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis lifeline by calling or texting 988. You can also chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis lifeline here.
For more information about mental health care resources and support, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Helpline can be reached Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET, at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264).
