Chinese men in Germany used Telegram to share rape videos and drugging tips

German prosecutors say members of a Telegram-based predator network—described as the “German driving school for experts”—used coded chats to brag about rapes and trade advice on how to drug victims.

According to court documents cited in the reporting, the men used euphemisms and code words in posts and sometimes shared photos and videos of assaults on unconscious victims. Prosecutors say they referred to women as “cars,” sedatives as “fuel,” and rape as “driving,” with victims also referred to in derogatory terms.

Investigators reviewed years of Telegram activity from roughly two dozen group chats, which authorities believe served as an online criminal network aimed mainly at Chinese women in Germany. Prosecutors say the case has already led to convictions of three alleged “inner circle” members and includes an ongoing trial of a fourth man in Berlin.

Frankfurt chief prosecutor Dominik Mies described the group’s conduct as marked by “ruthlessness” and “perfidious planning,” according to the reporting. Under German privacy rules, prosecutors say they are limited in what they can disclose outside the courtroom, with parts of the trial restricted to protect identities and sensitive details.

The reporting also notes that similar cases and international enforcement efforts have been emerging elsewhere, including references to drug-facilitated sexual assault investigations linked by tips across countries, and mention of a broader Europol operation targeting online networks that promote drug-facilitated sexual assaults.