A man from Toronto convicted in a major international online child exploitation investigation has been sentenced in the United States to 33 years in prison following a lengthy cross-border probe involving Canadian and American law enforcement agencies.
Ramanan Pathmanathan, 40, pleaded guilty earlier this year in a U.S. federal court to offences related to the online exploitation and coercion of minors.
According to U.S. authorities, the investigation uncovered a large-scale online exploitation operation that targeted numerous young victims over several years through social media and messaging platforms.
Officials stated that the accused allegedly used fake online identities to contact minors and manipulate victims into participating in inappropriate online interactions. Investigators further allege that threats and intimidation were used in some cases when victims attempted to end communication.
American prosecutors described the case as one of the most significant international online child exploitation investigations handled by authorities in recent years.
In addition to the prison sentence, the court ordered the offender to serve a period of supervised release following incarceration and comply with sex offender registration requirements.
Authorities confirmed the U.S. prison sentence will begin after the completion of a separate prison term currently being served in Canada following convictions secured by the Toronto Police Service in 2021.
The investigation involved cooperation between multiple agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Canadian law enforcement officials.
Police agencies continue to warn parents and guardians about the growing risks of online exploitation and are encouraging families to maintain open discussions with children regarding internet safety, social media use and communication with strangers online.