Toronto Man Sentenced to 33 Years in US Prison for Child Sextortion

A Toronto man was sentenced to 33 years ^[1] in a U.S. federal prison for operating a prolific online sextortion scheme targeting children.

The sentencing highlights the severity with which U.S. courts are treating cross-border digital exploitation and the scale of coordinated efforts to protect minors from online predators.

Ramanan Pathmanathan, 40, appeared in a federal court in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. The court found that Pathmanathan engaged in the sexual exploitation of children over a period of seven ^[6] to eight ^[5] years. The scheme involved targeting victims across the internet to obtain compromising material through coercion.

Court records and reporting indicate the scope of the operation was extensive. While some reports state Pathmanathan targeted more than 100 children ^[2], other estimates place the number of victims at over 140 ^[4], with some sources specifying 145 children ^[3]. The youngest victim identified in the proceedings was six years old ^[7].

Federal prosecutors detailed how the defendant used the internet to identify and exploit vulnerable minors. The 33-year ^[1] term reflects the prolonged nature of the crimes and the high number of victims involved in the operation. The case was processed through the U.S. legal system due to the nature of the crimes and the victims' locations.

Pathmanathan's activities spanned several years, utilizing digital platforms to maintain anonymity while targeting children. The investigation into his activities eventually led to his arrest and subsequent prosecution in the United States.