Three young men and one young woman in Austria are being tried in the local court of the state of Salzburg on charges of forming a gang known as the “Hunters.” The group is accused of luring men suspected of child abuse through fake female profiles on social media and then brutally assaulting them after arranging meetings.
The hearing in this case was held today, Wednesday, May 27, at the Salzburg court. The main suspect is a 24-year-old man born in Germany who, according to prosecutors, also involved his 25-year-old girlfriend in the group. The other two defendants are 21 and 22 years old.
Prosecutors have charged the four individuals with forming a “criminal organization,” intentionally causing severe bodily harm to at least two people, and attempted murder. The victims in the case are two men aged 40 and 50 from the cities of Lend and Salzburg who allegedly fell into the group’s trap in October 2024.
According to details presented in court, members of the gang created fake social media accounts posing as teenage girls. In one instance, a profile named “Bad Lisa” was created, claiming to belong to a 14-year-old girl.
Prosecutors stated that when men contacted these profiles, they were invited to meet in person. The defendants admitted in court that they used violence against the men because they believed they were attempting to contact an underage girl.
According to a report by the broadcaster Oe24, the three male members of the group beat and humiliated the victims while the female member filmed the scenes. The videos were later posted online, with the victims labeled as “child abusers.”
The most serious charge against the group relates to one incident in which a victim suffered brain damage as a result of the severe beating. Prosecutors have classified this act as attempted murder.
However, all four defendants have denied the accusation. They told the court that they never intended to kill anyone and only wanted to punish men whom they considered to be “child abusers.”
The court panel has heard statements from prosecutors, defendants, and lawyers from both sides, but no verdict has yet been issued in the case.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
