Severe case of cyber-grooming: 47-year-old indicted in Vienna

Vienna prosecutors have indicted a 47-year-old man in a severe case of cyber-grooming. The accused allegedly used Instagram to pose as a 13-year-old girl, targeting and manipulating three underage victims: two 12-year-olds and one 13-year-old.

Authorities allege that between May and December 2024, the man contacted the minors online. He is accused of luring them into performing sexual acts and coercing them to film or photograph these acts. The indictment further states that he demanded the victims send him this explicit material.

The man has been in pre-trial detention for nearly a year. His trial is scheduled to take place at the "Graues Haus," a common courthouse in Vienna, on the upcoming Wednesday.

Cyber-grooming involves the deliberate manipulation of minors online for the purpose of sexual exploitation. This case highlights the persistent threat of online predators and the legal measures being taken to prosecute such crimes.