Fake talent agent abused 24 girls under 14 in online sextortion scheme in The Hague

A total of 24 girls have thus far filed a complaint against a 26-year-old man from The Hague, who is suspected of grooming and abusing young children while pretending to be a talent scout. The victims are all between 6 and 14 years old, they were all abused online, and they reside in the Netherlands or Belgium. A total of 4,000 sexually abusive images were found on his computer, the Public Prosecution Service (OM) said on Tuesday at the first preliminary hearing in the District Court of The Hague.

Ibrahim A. posed as a scout looking for new models, and he coerced his his young victims into sending nude photos and videos of themselves performing sexual acts. "We are talking about an adult man who committed sexual assault on children via digital means. The man approached the young victims via TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat," the prosecutor said.

The case started in Belgium in January 2022, when the father of a 9-year-old girl reported online abuse. The girl had told her sister that she had sent nude photos to the supposed model scout. The Belgian police tracked him down in the Netherlands based on his IP address. The Dutch police recognized the suspect's methodology, because more victims had already come forward, and at least one pressed charges. It was then decided to prosecute the man in the Netherlands.

The man is also said to have distributed the sexually abusive content. He was arrested on February 6, and confessed. A. said he will fully cooperate with the police investigation and also agreed to a psychological examination. The police are trying to identify as many victims as possible, and authorities are trying to contact their parents.

The OM said it was of great social importance to warn the parents of young children about sexting. "The theme is current and relevant. The Public Prosecution Service believes it is important to inform parents and make them resilient," the prosecutor said.

The suspect told the judge he found it difficult to find the right words to express himself about the crime, and the realization of the crime has become more apparent. "It dawns on me more and more. I am reflecting on what I have done. I hope it is clear to the victims that a period of fear and uncertainty has now come to an end."

The suspect also expressed remorse to the young victims, "that I took advantage of them for an idiotic and stupid reason." He regards the criminal trial as "a new beginning" for himself and said he will fully accepts punishment.

The case will continue with a hearing to update the status of the criminal procedure on July 11. The Public Prosecution Service expects the case to come to trial later this year.