A German investigation into a clandestine Telegram network has led to the conviction of four men who used the platform to coordinate drug-facilitated sexual assaults. Prosecutors say the group, which operated under the name “German driving school for experts,” systematically drugged and raped women, sharing videos of their crimes in restricted chat channels.
The Coded Language of the ‘Driving School’
The operation relied on a rigid, deceptive vocabulary designed to evade automated moderation tools on Telegram. According to investigative filings from a series of high-profile trials in Germany, members of the network maintained a specific lexicon to discuss their activities as if they were engaged in mechanical vehicle operations.
- “Cars”: The code name for female victims.
- “Fuel”: The term for sedatives or anaesthetic agents used to incapacitate targets.
- “Driving”: The group’s term for the physical execution of rape and sexual assault.
- “Dead pigs”: A dehumanizing term used when victims were completely incapacitated by chemical spiking, as reported by The Associated Press.
Frankfurt chief prosecutor Dominik Mies described the group’s methodology as a chilling example of premeditation. “The perpetrators were characterized by a particular ruthlessness, an objectification of the victims, and the perfidious planning of their crimes,” Mies told the AP.
Weaponizing Expertise and Digital Anonymity
The network’s reach extended beyond simple coordination, as members leveraged professional backgrounds to refine their methods. Investigators discovered that a defendant with formal medical training provided other members with technical instructions on chemical dosages. These tutorials aimed to maximize victim incapacitation while minimizing the risk of lethal overdose.
The group’s internal structure was hierarchical, with an administrator identified in court documents as 44-year-old Dapeng Z. Dapeng Z was sentenced to 14 years in prison for aggravated rape and attempted murder. Another member, 28-year-old student Zhongyi J, received more than 11 years for similar charges.
Dr. Juliane Kloess, a senior lecturer in forensic clinical psychology at the University of Glasgow, notes that while this specific network targeted Chinese nationals in Germany, the rise of such online communities is a global trend. The perceived anonymity of encrypted apps allows individuals to detach from their real-world moral constraints, she explained.
Courtroom Solidarity and Public Scrutiny
The trial proceedings in Berlin have drawn significant attention from the Chinese diaspora in Germany. Despite restrictive privacy laws that have occasionally forced members of the public to leave the courtroom, many women have traveled long distances to attend hearings as a show of solidarity.
Fu Xiao, who traveled approximately 500 kilometers to attend a trial, expressed the frustration felt by many in the community. “What makes one really angry is to see that such groups hate women, they have no respect,” she said. “Women aren’t seen as people.”
The trials have invited comparisons to the high-profile case of Gisèle Pelicot in France, who famously waived her right to anonymity during the 2024 trial of her ex-husband and dozens of men who raped her while she was sedated. Judge Markus Koppenleitner, presiding over the German proceedings, underscored the gravity of the offenses, stating, Pelicot is not an isolated case.
The Scope of the Investigation
While four men have been convicted or are currently on trial in Berlin, authorities acknowledge that the full extent of the network remains unclear. Investigators are still analyzing years of posts across roughly two dozen Telegram group chats. Because German privacy laws restrict the release of certain documents, public awareness of the case has been slower to develop than in other jurisdictions.
In China, state media has covered the trials extensively, though discussions on social media platforms like RedNote have faced partial censorship. Screenshots and searches indicate that posts using direct language are frequently deleted, forcing users to employ euphemisms such as “students studying abroad in Germany” to share information about the proceedings. As the investigation continues, authorities remain focused on determining whether these Telegram chats share links with other international networks involved in drug-facilitated sexual violence.
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