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Police launch online campaign to help victims of Turpien: “You are not alone. Help is at hand!”

A major international investigation has identified a now 22-year-old man who is suspected of online sexual assault and rape of at least 52 girls and women aged between 13 and 20 from various countries (the Netherlands, Canada, the UK, the United States, Germany and Montenegro). He is also suspected of making threats, and of producing, possessing and distributing images of child sexual abuse. The substantive hearing of this case will begin on Wednesday 8 April. There are likely to be more victims, and they may be in urgent need of help. That is why the police are launching an online campaign.

The investigation was launched following information received from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). They tracked down the suspect after several girls in the United States fell victim to him. Rotterdam Police’s sexual offences team launched a major investigation and arrested the man on 6 January 2025; see also this item on politie.nl.“Crimes such as sextortion do not respect national borders, but neither do we,” says Eben Robert, HSI attaché in The Hague. “HSI identified the suspect, who was targeting victims in the United States. We quickly shared actionable information with our partners and the Dutch police. Thanks to swift action, the suspect was arrested. Together, we have identified dozens of victims – including many American children. This investigation reflects the strength of our cooperation and our joint commitment to protecting children, supporting victims and holding offenders to account, wherever they operate.”

"Owned by Turpien"

The suspect went in search of his victims on Snapchat under the username “Turpien”. Once he had them in his clutches, he made their lives a living hell. The suspect forced the girls and women to do terrible things. Not only were they forced to send nude photos and videos of themselves; they were also forced to write messages on a sign or even on their bodies, such as “Owned by Turpien”, as if he owned them.

The demands became more and more extreme and sadistic. They were forced to perform sexual acts on themselves. They had to take photos and videos of this. If they failed to meet his demands immediately, their images would be posted online and shared with family and friends. It made no difference to the suspect whether the victims were in a classroom at school or at home. They always had to be there for him. The suspect also sold photos in his private Telegram groups. He also shared their personal data.

The Public Prosecution Service in Rotterdam has a message for anyone currently in possession of this data: “You always leave an online trail. If you don’t want the police turning up on your doorstep one day, do not misuse this information, but delete it.”

Online campaign

The victims lived in fear every day. Fear of another message arriving. Fear that they had to do something again. Fear that someone would find out. Milou van der Kolk of the Rotterdam Sexual Offences Team: “Fortunately, we have managed to trace many of the victims. We were able to tell them that Turpien is now in custody and can no longer harm them. That means effectively giving the victim their life back. However, so many photo and video images have been found on the suspect’s computer that there is a strong likelihood that there are more out there.” That is why the police are launching an online campaign on Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook. “We’re sending a video to the victims to let them know that Turpien has been arrested and that help is at hand. But we’ve also made a video especially for parents. “It is hugely important that they, too, realize that their child could have fallen victim to a suspect like Turpien,” says Milou van der Kolk. A special page at politie.nl has been set up to inform victims and parents about what they can do. As many of the victims are living abroad, the police are also making these videos available to those countries.

Your are not alone: help is at hand

Victims of online sexual abuse feel that they are alone in the world, suffer stress and see no way out. Professional victim support is essential and can sometimes even be a matter of life and death. The shame, intense fear, despair and constant pressure are so overwhelming that victims can develop serious mental health issues and sometimes take their own lives.

Proper assistance and a safe space in which to tell their story can make all the difference. With the right support, victims can regain hope and, step by step, take back control of their lives. The police have approached the Centre for Sexual Violence and Offlimits (Centrum Seksueel Geweld en Offlimits) for this online campaign. They specialize in helping victims (including victims of other offenders).

Victim of Turpien

In collaboration with us, the Centre for Sexual Violence has made a WhatsApp number available. If you are a victim of Turpien and in need of help, you can contact us via WhatsApp: +31614644309 (also from abroad).

Reporting sextortion

Are you a victim of sextortion by someone other than Turpien and would you like to report it? Contact the police via the general police number at 0900-8844. Call 112 in case of an emergency or if you are in distress. If you are still being sextorted, you should report it as soon as possible and save as much ‘evidence’ as you can, such as chats and screenshots.  Do not block the suspect, as this will result in the loss of data, but stop responding.

Victim of sextortion

Do you want to talk to someone about what you or a loved one has been through? You can also contact the Centre for Sexual Violence or Offlimits for this. They will listen, offer practical support and help you move forward.

Centre for Sexual Violence:

Offlimits:
You can start a chat, email or call the Offlimits helpline free of charge and anonymously.

Are you thinking about taking your own life?

If you are thinking about taking your own life or are worried about someone else: Call 113 or the freephone number 0800-0113.  An anonymous chatline is available 24/7 via 113.nl.

Parents

It’s not easy to talk to your children about a subject like sextortion. Despite that: we urge you to talk to each other. Raise it for discussion. Let your child know that they are not alone, that they are not to blame, and that help is available.  The video we have made for this campaign could help you with that. At https://hulplijn.offlimits.nl/ouders-verzorgers-hulpverleners-en-onderwijs you’ll find information and advice on (talking about) sexually inappropriate (online) behavior.

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