68-Year-Old German Man Charged with 22 Counts of Aggravated Rape After Drugging Women Met Online

German prosecutors have charged a 68-year-old man with drugging and raping 14 women he met through online dating sites, where he also recorded the assaults.

Berlin prosecutors have filed 22 counts of aggravated rape against him involving 14 victims, though authorities suspect he assaulted a total of 58 women.

The investigation started in March 2025 after the suspect appeared in chat logs with another individual who was already under scrutiny following a tip‑off, according to officials.

The co‑suspect has since died, but a search of the 68‑year‑old’s residence was conducted last year. During a subsequent forensic review of seized devices, investigators discovered video recordings documenting sexual assaults.

This article contains details that some readers may find disturbing.

The suspect, who has been held in pre‑trial detention since March 2026, has declined to comment. Prosecutors stated that the Berlin courts will now determine whether the case proceeds to trial.

Investigators allege that he met the women on online platforms, then drugged them with a combination of sedatives and alcohol before raping them. None of the victims recalled the assaults until investigators showed them video footage recovered during the probe.

Thirty of the 58 women appearing in the videos have been identified, officials said, while the identities of another ten remain unknown.

The case follows a recent sentencing less than a week earlier, when a 32‑year‑old Chinese‑origin doctor was given a five‑year prison term for aggravated rape. Berlin regional court found he was part of a chat group that exchanged information on raping women who had been sedated and repeatedly gave advice to other members.

The judge remarked that “sexual offences are no longer committed silently and in secret, but are publicly shared on the internet and applauded.”

In the latest case, prosecutors were compelled to drop 36 earlier charges involving a single woman from 2010‑2014 because those alleged assaults fell outside the five‑year limitation period.

The 22 counts of aggravated rape currently filed against him involve the use of force and are subject to a 20‑year statute of limitations.

Currently, many rape cases in Germany are subject to a five‑year prosecution limit, but Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig indicated last month that she supports extending this period to 20 years.

Hubig has also proposed legislative changes that would impose a mandatory minimum five‑year prison sentence for anyone convicted of using “date‑rape drugs” in conjunction with rape or robbery.

Two years ago, Germany’s highest court determined that date‑rape drugs placed in a drink did not qualify as “dangerous items” for sexual assault purposes, leading the justice minister to note that the practical minimum sentence would be three years.

Under a recent draft amendment, the government proposes that “all dangerous items and substances used during a sexual offence or robbery” be classified alongside other weapons or dangerous implements.

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