Rotterdam-area man arrested for online sexual abuse & blackmail of dozens of girls

A 26-year-old man from the Zuid-Holland town of Piershil, near Rotterdam, was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault and production of child pornography, police reported. The man encouraged dozens of underage girls to perform sexual acts between November 2018 and June 2022, which he recorded on video.

The police tracked the man down after a police analyst discovered a "disturbing trend in incoming reports to the various vice departments of the police,” authorities said in a statement.

The 26-year-old used a pseudonym on various social media platforms, including Snapchat. There, he came in contact with underage girls. After making contact via chat, he threatened his victims and forced them to perform sexual acts on camera, police claimed. Later, the suspect used that footage to blackmail them.

The man appeared before the examining magistrate on Friday. During the hearing, the magistrate remanded the suspect into custody for at least two more weeks while the investigation continues.”

The man was arrested by the Team Combating Child Pornography and Child Sex Tourism (TBKK) of the Rotterdam Unit.