Chinese Doctor Sentenced to Five Years for 'Driving School' Rape Network

A Berlin court sentenced 32-year-old Chinese doctor Shao Zhiting to five years in prison on July 8, 2026, for his role in a large-scale sexual abuse network operating via Telegram under the code name "Driving School for Experts." Shao was convicted of providing medical advice on sedating women using drugs such as triazolam and was found guilty of sexually assaulting his fiancée, with video evidence of the crimes discovered in Beijing. The court ruled his actions were "extremely misogynistic," degrading women to objects of sexual desire, and permanently revoked his medical license.

The network comprised eight men, mostly Chinese nationals, who used coded language to conceal their activities over five years, with terms like "car ride" referring to rape and "dead pigs" denoting sedated victims. Over this period, the group sexually assaulted more than 20 women, including both acquaintances and strangers. Shao's medical expertise and advice directly facilitated at least one rape carried out by network leader Zhang Dapeng in January 2024, when Shao provided specific instructions on sedating a victim despite knowing Dapeng's criminal intent.

Scholar Zhong Hua from Chinese University of Hong Kong noted that such crimes require three conditions: motivation, suitable targets, and lack of oversight. The group's online interactions created a "learning effect," with members sharing experiences and reinforcing each other's criminal fantasies while weakening their moral restraint. Telegram's anonymity and resistance to law enforcement facilitation enabled this network to operate with reduced detection risk. The case has drawn international attention, with comparisons made to France's 2024 Gisèle Pelicot case, where a woman publicly came forward to counter perpetrators' belief that victims remain silent.

One identified survivor, Li Jing (pseudonym), a 27-year-old, publicly shared her experience with BBC in July 2026. She discovered she had been secretly filmed by her ex-boyfriend Tong Z., a network member, while sleeping, leading to severe psychological trauma including insomnia and difficulty concentrating. Despite receiving a year of psychiatric treatment, Li chose to speak publicly to combat the misconception that 80 percent of rape victims never report crimes—a statistic Tong Z. had cited to justify their criminal activity. Legal experts including Durham University professor Clare McGlynn highlighted how online platforms normalizing non-consensual imagery contribute to offline sexual violence, while drug-facilitated rape cases face significant evidentiary challenges due to victims' memory loss and rapid drug elimination from the body.

Other network members have received sentences ranging from 5 years 9 months to 14 years. Zhang Dapeng, the network leader, was sentenced to 14 years; Tong Z. was convicted of 13 counts of secretly filming and 3 counts of sexual assault involving 9 victims since 2019; and J. Zhongyi received 11 years 3 months. The court noted that media coverage identifying Shao influenced sentencing, with the judge acknowledging "pre-trial conviction" through media reports as a mitigating factor. Shao's defense has appealed the decision.