Canadian National Pleads Guilty to Extensive Child Exploitation Scheme Targeting Over 100 US Victims
A 40-year-old Canadian citizen has confessed to orchestrating a prolonged and systematic campaign of sexual exploitation that victimized more than 100 children through various social media platforms. Ramanan Pathmanathan, a resident of Toronto, entered a guilty plea on Friday in a United States federal court, admitting to charges of producing child sexual abuse material and the coercion and enticement of a minor.
Deceptive Online Persona and Seven-Year Predatory Operation
Pathmanathan executed a meticulously planned scheme that persisted for seven years, only concluding upon his arrest by authorities. According to detailed court documents and statements from the Department of Justice, he fabricated a false online identity, masquerading as an American teenage boy to deceitfully earn the trust of vulnerable young girls. His victims, ranging in age from 11 to 17 years old, were dispersed across multiple states throughout the United States.
Manipulation, Recording, and Sextortion Tactics
After establishing an initial connection, Pathmanathan employed psychological manipulation to pressure the children into performing sexually explicit acts during video calls. Crucially, without obtaining their consent or informing them, he secretly screen-recorded these intimate interactions to amass a collection of abusive videos. When victims resisted or attempted to sever contact, Pathmanathan escalated to sextortion, threatening to distribute the recorded footage to their family members and friends unless they acquiesced to his demands.
Justice Department Statement on the Case
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department issued a statement following the guilty plea, emphasizing: “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.” Duva further elaborated: “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. 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.”
Legal Consequences and Previous Conviction
Pathmanathan now confronts severe legal penalties, including a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 25 years and a potential maximum of life imprisonment. Additionally, he is required to pay restitution amounting to at least $3,000 for each identified victim. His sentencing hearing is calendared for May 27.
This incident does not represent Pathmanathan’s first encounter with the judicial system for such criminal behavior. In October 2022, he pleaded guilty to analogous offenses in Canada and received a 12-year prison sentence. He was temporarily transferred to American custody in December 2025 to stand trial in a US federal court located in Columbia.
