In a chilling display of depravity, a Canadian has pleaded guilty to sexually exploiting over 100 American children online, the Department of Justice announced Friday.
Ramanan Pathmanathan, 40, of Toronto hid behind a fake persona as a teenage boy, targeting vulnerable minors across the U.S. — while in Canada.
Pathmanathan's seven-year reign of terror involved coercing girls ages 11 to 17 into performing explicit acts during video chats on popular social media platforms.
Without their knowledge, Pathmanathan secretly recorded these sessions, amassing a collection of horrifying videos to fuel his perverse desires.
When the young American victims resisted his demands for more abuse, Pathmanathan escalated his cruelty by threatening to send the illicit recordings to their families and friends.
"Today's guilty plea marks a critical step toward justice for over 100 targeted victims in the United States who this predator harmed with his diabolical actions," Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department's Criminal Division said in a statement.
"For years, while hiding in another country behind a fabricated online persona, he used manipulation, threats, and fear to coerce unsuspecting juveniles into producing and engaging in sexually explicit acts, robbing them of their innocence," the statement continued.
"We will hold accountable anyone who preys on our children, including those who do it from behind a computer screen, to ensure that victims are protected and treated with the dignity they deserve."
Arrested in Canada on Dec. 3 and extradited to the U.S., Pathmanathan has remained behind bars, facing justice for his heinous crimes against American innocents.
His guilty plea to producing child pornography and coercing minors marks a victory for U.S. law enforcement in combating foreign threats to children's safety.
Duva emphasized how this Canadian hid in another country while using deceit to shatter the lives of over 100 U.S. victims.
Duva vowed that predators like this foreigner, who operate from behind screens, will be held accountable to protect American children and restore their dignity.
Pathmanathan's admission reveals a pattern of calculated predation, posing as an American teen to gain trust before unleashing his perverted demands.
The victims, scattered nationwide, endured unimaginable trauma from this intruder's online invasion into their private worlds.
Previously convicted in Canada for similar offenses in 2022, for which he received a 12-year sentence, Pathmanathan now faces a mandatory minimum of 25 years in U.S. prison, up to life, plus fines and restitution of at least $3,000 per victim.
His sentencing is set for May 27, ensuring he pays dearly for his atrocities against American kids.
The FBI's Houston Field Office led the investigation, with crucial aid from the Toronto Police Service, highlighting international cooperation to dismantle such perverse networks.
The Justice Department's Office of International Affairs secured Pathmanathan's temporary surrender from Canada, preventing this predator from evading U.S. justice.
This case falls under Project Safe Childhood, a DOJ initiative combating child exploitation since 2006.
By marshaling resources to prosecute foreigners like Pathmanathan, it aims to rescue victims and prevent future horrors inflicted on American children by online perverts.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.