WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — A Canadian man received a 33-year federal prison sentence Wednesday after authorities said he targeted more than 100 children across the United States in one of the largest sextortion cases investigated by the FBI’s Houston office.
Federal prosecutors said Ramanan Pathmanathan, 40, of Toronto, used fake social media accounts for years to manipulate and threaten children into producing sexually explicit content online. Investigators identified at least 145 victims, some as young as 6 years old.
U.S. District Chief Judge James E. Boasberg sentenced Pathmanathan to 396 months in prison. The judge also ordered him to serve 10 years of supervised release and register as a sex offender after his release. The sentence will run consecutively to the 12-year prison term that Pathmanathan already serves in Canada for related crimes.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced the sentence and described the case as a major child exploitation investigation involving several law enforcement agencies. According to court documents, Pathmanathan used Instagram and Facebook Messenger to contact young girls and boys between March 2014 and his arrest on March 10, 2021. Prosecutors said he often pretended to be a teenage boy from New Jersey to gain the trust of children online.
Authorities said Pathmanathan pressured victims to take part in sexually explicit video chats. He instructed children to expose themselves and perform disturbing acts during the calls. Prosecutors said he frequently showed the victims pornographic images during the chats to direct their behavior. Investigators said Pathmanathan recorded the videos and stored them on his desktop computer.
When victims tried to stop communicating with him or blocked his accounts, Pathmanathan threatened to send explicit images and recordings to their friends and family members, according to prosecutors. Federal officials described the case as a large-scale online sextortion scheme that caused severe emotional harm to children and families across the country. Pathmanathan pleaded guilty on Jan. 30, 2026, to one count of production of child pornography and one count of coercion and enticement of a minor.
The FBI Houston Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force led the investigation along with the Texas Department of Public Safety. Authorities in Canada also assisted the investigation. The Department of Justice thanked the Toronto Police Service and Canada’s Crown Operations Office for helping U.S. investigators build the case.
Officials said the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs secured Pathmanathan’s temporary surrender from Canada so he could face prosecution in the United States. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Shinskie for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Kaylynn Foulon from the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section prosecuted the case.
Federal officials said the investigation highlighted the growing danger of online sextortion crimes targeting children through social media platforms. Law enforcement agencies continue to warn parents about predators who create fake identities to contact minors online. The FBI has repeatedly urged families to monitor children’s online activity and report suspicious behavior immediately. Investigators said online predators often use threats, manipulation, and fear to control victims and prevent them from seeking help.
The case also formed part of the Justice Department’s Project Safe Childhood initiative, a nationwide effort launched in 2006 to combat online child exploitation. Project Safe Childhood brings together federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to investigate internet crimes against children, identify victims, and prosecute offenders. The initiative also focuses on educating parents, teachers, and children about online safety risks.
