Shocking Monkey Torture Ring Uncovered on Social Media Platforms

An investigation has uncovered an alleged globe-spanning monkey torture ring, in which people -- including residents of the US and UK -- paid others halfway around the world to conduct horrific acts on baby macaques, abusing, maiming and killing them on camera for the viewers' sadistic pleasure.

The BBC says it conducted a year-long investigation into the hidden world of YouTube videos showing the abuse of monkeys, many of which took place in Indonesia.

Hundreds of YouTube channels were posting videos of baby macaques being abused, according to the report. Videos circulating on the encrypted messaging service Telegram went even further, showing amputations, decapitations, and drownings, according to the BBC.

Two amateur sleuths, one in Los Angeles and one in Trinidad, had been working to expose the ring and alert law enforcement, leading the FBI to eventually begin its own investigation.

Special Agent Paul Wolpert at the Department of Homeland Security was also tasked with investigating a ring of monkey torture enthusiasts across the U.S.

“It was so out there,” Wolpert told the BBC. “Like nothing I’d ever seen.”

He noted similarities to child abuse rings, especially when it came to the secrecy of members.

But investigators were able to start finding cash transfer app transactions tied to real names, and several people now face trial in connection with the videos.

As for social media platforms, monkey torture videos are harder to find now.

In a statement to the BBC, YouTube said animal abuse had “no place” on the platform and the company was “working hard to quickly remove violative content”. 

“Just this year alone, we’ve removed hundreds of thousands of videos and terminated thousands of channels for violating our violent and graphic policies,” the statement said. 

But Telegram told the BBC it was “committed to protecting user privacy and human rights such as freedom of speech,” adding that it can’t proactively patrol private groups.