A Berlin court has sentenced Shao Zhiting, a 32-year-old Chinese doctor, to five years in prison for his role in an organized sexual abuse network operating under the code name “Driving School for Experts.” Shao was convicted of providing medical instructions on how to sedate women to facilitate rapes committed by members of a Telegram-based group.
The sentencing follows a series of trials targeting the network, known in German as Fahrschule fuer Experten. According to court statements, Shao used his professional medical knowledge to advise other men on the precise dosing of triazolam, a potent sedative typically prescribed for severe insomnia, to ensure victims remained unconscious during assaults.
In addition to his role in the network, the court convicted Shao of sexually assaulting his own fiancée. The presiding judge described Shao’s actions as “extremely misogynistic,” stating that the women targeted by the group were degraded to “mere objects of sexual desire.”
The Mechanics of the ‘Driving School’ Network
The abuse network operated primarily through a Telegram chat group, where members coordinated attacks using a system of dehumanizing code words to evade detection. According to court records, the term “car ride” was used as a euphemism for rape, while the victims—who were typically heavily sedated—were referred to as “dead pigs.”
Investigators identified eight men implicated in the “Driving School” network, seven of whom are Chinese nationals. The group focused on procuring women who could be drugged and assaulted without their consent, utilizing Shao’s medical expertise to maximize the effectiveness of the sedatives used.
The network’s operations extended across multiple German cities, leading to separate legal proceedings in different jurisdictions. The use of encrypted messaging apps like Telegram allowed the group to share “tips” and coordinate the logistics of their crimes with relative anonymity until law enforcement intervened.
Sentencing of Network Leader and Co-Conspirators
Shao’s conviction is part of a wider judicial crackdown on the group. In February, a Frankfurt court sentenced the network’s leader, Zhang Dapeng, to 14 years in prison. Zhang was convicted of seven rapes and four attempted murders, according to reports on the Frankfurt proceedings.
Another member of the group, a 28-year-old Chinese master’s student in robotics identified as J. Zhongyi, received a sentence of 11 years and three months. The court found that Zhongyi had repeatedly drugged and raped his girlfriend and filmed the abuse.
The disparity in sentencing reflects the varying levels of involvement, from the logistical and medical facilitation provided by Shao to the direct physical violence and attempted murders perpetrated by Zhang.
Societal Impact and Legal Precedents
While the “Driving School” trials have not received the same level of mainstream global media coverage as some high-profile European cases, they have caused significant unrest within the Chinese community in Germany. Court hearings in Berlin have seen large audiences, with many Chinese women closely following the proceedings via social media platforms like Xiaohongshu.
Legal observers have noted similarities between this case and the 2024 trial of Gisele Pelicot in France. Pelicot waived her right to anonymity to expose a network where her husband drugged her to allow dozens of strangers to rape her. Both cases highlight a pattern of organized, premeditated sexual violence involving the use of sedatives to strip victims of their agency.
The German courts’ focus on the “misogynistic” nature of the crimes suggests a judicial effort to categorize these attacks not merely as individual assaults, but as systemic violence rooted in the dehumanization of women.
Further updates on any remaining suspects or appeals regarding the “Driving School for Experts” network are expected as German authorities continue to review encrypted communications seized during the investigation. Readers seeking support for victims of sexual violence in Germany can contact the national helpline “Hilfetelefon Gewalt gegen Frauen” at 116 016.
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