Man dubbed “White Tiger” charged with murder over U.S. teen’s livestreamed suicide

A man accused of luring children worldwide into a sadistic online abuse network was charged by German prosecutors Wednesday with hundreds of crimes — including murder, for a 13-year-old American’s livestreamed suicide.

Using the pseudonym “White Tiger,” the 21-year-old Hamburg man, a German-Iranian national, allegedly victimized more than 30 children with online sexual abuse, manipulation and exploitation as a part of a virtual network of abusers known as “764.” In April, the network’s leaders were arrested and charged for allegedly operating “one of the most heinous online child exploitation enterprises” officials have ever seen, according to the U.S. Justice Department.

“White Tiger” allegedly coerced a 13-year-old American boy into dying by suicide in 2022, which was broadcast via livestream.  

Authorities said the crimes occurred between January 2021, when the suspect was 16 years old, and September 2023, when he was 19.

Prosecutors in Hamburg announced 204 criminal charges against him, including allegations of committing one murder and five attempted murders as an “indirect perpetrator.”

“White Tiger” would find vulnerable children and adolescents in online chats or games, develop a bond to groom them for abuse, then exploit them into producing pornographic content and harming themselves on video, authorities said.

The man was arrested at his parents’ home in June. The suspect, who for a time studied medicine at a private university, denies all the charges,  Der Spiegel reported.

Authorities said at the time they had identified eight victims of “White Tiger” aged between 11 and 15 from Germany, England, Canada and the United States. A 14-year-old Canadian girl connected to the case attempted suicide, Der Spiegel reported.

The case has caused horrified reactions and prompted questions about whether German authorities could have acted sooner and prevented some of the abuse.

The Zeit newspaper reported that the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) in the United States alerted German authorities in 2021 to an apparently Hamburg-based predator going by the name of “White Tiger”.

According to the newspaper, NCMEC provided a roughly 40-page document containing chat transcripts from the Discord online platform in which “White Tiger” demanded photos from two young girls, urging them to harm themselves and suggesting they take their own lives.

Police questioned the suspect at the time, but he was not arrested until this year.

During the arrest, police also seized illegal weapons — knives, brass knuckles and a baton — as well as computers and hard drives, which are still being analyzed, according to prosecutors.

Criminal proceedings will be held behind closed doors, the Hamburg public prosecutor’s office said.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth ages 10-14 in the U.S.

If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or a suicidal crisis, you can reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988. You can also chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline here.

For more information about mental health care resources and support, The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) HelpLine can be reached Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.–10 p.m. ET, at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264).