German pedophile arrested for running child pornography site
A German pedophile has been arrested in the Bang Lamung district of Chon Buri, for allegedly operating an illegal dark web platform used to distribute child porn, generating millions in illicit earnings.
The arrest, which took place on March 5, was a joint operation between the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD) and US Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Acting on an arrest warrant issued by the Criminal Court on March 3, the operation raided the retired programmer’s condominium, where they uncovered evidence of large-scale online exploitation.
TCSD commander Police Major General Athip Pongsiwapai revealed today, March 11, that the investigation began with a tip-off from HSI, which had tracked the 54 year old suspect, identified only as Steffen, for operating two dark web platforms for the sale of child pornography over the past three years.
Officers discovered that users paid in cryptocurrencies, including bitcoin and Monero, to access explicit content. The funds were credited to online accounts, enabling subscribers to stream or download illegal material.
Investigators traced Steffen’s financial transactions, revealing that the membership fees were funneled through digital wallets, converted into multiple currencies, and eventually transferred into his Thai bank accounts.
During the raid, police seized a laptop, a server computer, a mobile phone, and a storage device containing over 140,000 pornographic files. Additionally, they confiscated bank account records, credit cards, and multiple SIM cards linked to the operation.
Steffen reportedly admitted to the charges, telling investigators that after retiring as a programmer in Germany, he moved to Thailand and became the administrator of two dark web sites, which hosted over 5,000 child pornography videos. His platforms reportedly attracted more than 10,000 subscribers, generating an estimated 3.5 million baht in illegal profits.
The suspect is now facing serious criminal charges, including possession, distribution, production, and trade of child pornography for commercial gain. Police confirmed that he will be prosecuted under Thai law, with potential extradition to face further legal action abroad.
The investigation remains ongoing, with police working alongside international law enforcement agencies to identify additional suspects and users involved in the network, reported Bangkok Post.
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