Israel Police arrested a man on Sunday suspected of spreading nude photos and videos of minors without their knowledge on the Telegram chat app for pay, according to the Israel Police Spokesperson Unit.
The arrest came at the culmination of a months-long covert investigation following indications of a Telegram group where the participants held sexual discourse and shared sexual photos and videos of minors.
It is not clear how the media was obtained for sharing, but the subjects of the videos and photos were not aware that they were being shared nor did they give consent.
The suspect, a 21-year-old from Ramle is believed to have managed the group.
The investigation revealed that the suspect not only managed the group but also charged the other participants admission fees into the group.
Suspect's arrest to be extended on Monday
As well as the arrest, police seized the suspect's computer and phones. On Monday, he will be brought before a judge for his arrest to be extended.