Serbian police identify man behind „Faraon” abuse account
The high-tech crime unit found that the „Faraon” account, which promoted child abuse online, was run by M. R. (31) from Sremska Mitrovica, already known to police.
- Serbian police identified the user of the „Faraon” account as M. R. (31) from Sremska Mitrovica.
- Criminal complaints for unlawful sexual acts and sexual harassment were already filed against him in 2025 and 2026.
- On a prosecutor's order he was taken to a police station, his flat was searched, and several electronic devices were seized.
- The case is led by the Special Department for High-Tech Crime of the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade.
The Ministry of the Interior said its high-tech crime service has identified the person who ran an account named „Faraon” across several social networks. According to police, the account promoted pedophilia and the sexual abuse of children. The suspect is M. R. (31) from Sremska Mitrovica.
The identification was carried out together with the Sremska Mitrovica Police Administration. The ministry says the man was already known to police. Until any final court verdict, the suspect is presumed innocent.
Officers acted on the order of the competent prosecutor. The suspect was taken to a police station, and police searched the flat where he was staying. Several electronic devices were seized and will undergo forensic analysis. In cases like this, digital forensics examines stored content, contacts and traces of communication.
What is the suspect accused of?
According to the statement, complaints had been filed against M. R. even before this action. During 2025 and 2026 they concerned unlawful sexual acts and sexual harassment. Police say the background involved attempts to contact and groom several underage girls.
The identity of the minors is not disclosed. Protecting them is a legal duty and a priority in every case of this kind. That is why public statements describe only the circumstances of the offence, with no details that could reveal who the victims are.
Oversight of the case has been taken over by the Special Department for High-Tech Crime of the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Belgrade. That department is specialized in offences committed online, including the display, acquisition and possession of material created through the sexual abuse of minors, as well as the grooming of children.
Content that promotes the abuse of minors is a serious criminal offence. The law provides prison sentences, with the range depending on the specific acts, the age of the victims and whether physical contact was attempted. The prosecution decides on the legal classification and any request for detention only after forensic analysis.
Why could such an account survive at all?
Accounts that spread this kind of content often hide behind pseudonyms and move to new platforms once they are reported. That is why the high-tech crime service combines citizen reports, cooperation with platforms and digital tracing. Identifying the person behind an account is usually the hardest part of the job.
For users, the message is clear. Any account that promotes the abuse of children should be reported to the platform and to police, and the content should not be shared further, even as a warning, because that only spreads it. The ministry has urged citizens to report suspicious accounts and messages through official channels.
The case is at an early stage and the investigation continues. Guilt has not been established by a final verdict, and after the devices are examined the prosecution will specify the exact charges. Are institutions today reacting fast enough to accounts that target the youngest users online?
