Prosecutors said the platforms weren’t small, hidden forums but highly organized criminal networks operating like corporations. They had hierarchies, moderators, posting rules, and encrypted systems built to evade law enforcement. Investigators found over 120,000 users across dozens of countries sharing and profiting from disturbing illegal material.
“These weren’t casual offenders,” a Justice Department spokesperson said. “They were organized groups exploiting children on an industrial scale.”
The operation was the result of years of collaboration between the FBI, Homeland Security, Europol, and agencies in more than 30 countries. Investigators infiltrated the networks, tracing encrypted communications and cryptocurrency transactions to uncover the crimes.
