A 53-year-old man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison without the possibility of early release in the United States, after Cyprus Police played a key role in uncovering a long-running online child sexual abuse operation spanning multiple US states.
The case began in 2020, when the Cyprus Cybercrime Division received intelligence that led investigators to a suspect based in the United States.
Evidence gathered during the inquiry showed the man had been targeting children over an extended period, with a large number of victims across various US states.
US authorities were notified and the New York FBI took over the investigation, working closely with Cyprus Cybercrime Division detectives. Their joint work led to the identification of further victims aged between 13 and 17.
The suspect was located and arrested. On 29 January 2026, a US court sentenced him to 12 years in prison with no eligibility for early release.
Cyprus Police said child safety and protection from such crimes is one of their priorities, and described the case as evidence that sexual offences against children are a form of cross-border crime.
The force said the outcome demonstrated that cooperation and information-sharing between law enforcement agencies across different countries produces results.
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