Hosting Firm in Netherlands Keeps Controversial Abuse Site Online as Israeli Owner Defies Removal Demands

Reflecto News | Investigative Report | Technology & Crime

STEENBERGEN, Netherlands — A Dutch hosting company owned by Israeli businessman Simon Shlomi Elimeleh continues to provide technical services to the controversial porn platform Motherless.com, a website that hosts thousands of videos depicting sexual assault and suspected child exploitation, despite years of complaints and grim international scrutiny, an investigation by NRC and Nieuwsuur has revealed .

The platform, which draws an estimated 62 million monthly visitors, has been linked to discussions where users exchanged tips on drugging and raping victims. Elimeleh, who operates the hosting firm NForce from the southern Dutch town of Steenbergen, insists his company is merely a “neutral infrastructure provider” and claims he has no control over the illegal content .

💻 The Infrastructure: How an Israeli Businessman Is Connected

The investigation traces Elimeleh’s digital empire back for years. Motherless runs on servers physically located at NForce’s data center in Steenbergen, Noord-Brabant . Elimeleh, who has ties to Bulgaria and Israel, acquired the hosting provider in 2018 through a Bulgarian-registered firm .

His business structure effectively shields NForce while allowing him to profit from the site’s massive traffic. He also operates related entities that provide Motherless with backend technical services.

When confronted by journalists from NOS and Nieuwsuur, Elimeleh was blunt about his stance:

“Wij verlenen infrastructuurdiensten aan Motherless. Wij hebben geen controle over de inhoud van de site.” (Translation: “We provide infrastructure services to Motherless. We have no control over the site’s content.”) .

📹 ‘Rape Academy’: The Horrifying Reality of Motherless

Motherless first gained renewed international infamy following CNN reports tied to the French Pelicot trial, where a woman was drugged and raped by her husband and dozens of strangers over nearly a decade. CNN investigators found thousands of videos on Motherless showing unconscious women being sexually assaulted. Many of these clips were filmed without the victim’s knowledge .

An NRC analysis of 20,000 videos recently featured on the site’s front page revealed the depths of the depravity. Among the most popular categories were “incest” (linked to over 1,000 videos), “rape,” “school girl,” and “sister.” The most viewed video in the past week garnered over 4 million views and was tagged with these explicit labels .

The platform does not just host content; it organizes communities. NRC found that users form groups with thousands of members to share links and exchange “tips” regarding dosages of medication and narcotics used to incapacitate victims . One British moderator acknowledged that he had removed “thousands of videos,” implying that the scale of offending material may be far larger than what visible algorithms catch .

🛡️ Shielded by Immunity: The Legal Loophole

European regulations, particularly the Digital Services Act (DSA), require hosting providers to act against illegal content. However, enforcement is challenging, and NForce is exploiting the loophole: the company claims it is merely a carrier and is not responsible for the content its clients host .

The Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) has expressed concern but admits it lacks the power to force the platform offline. The ACM is now investigating whether other European regulators have jurisdiction .

Statistics illustrate the scale of the failure. The Dutch expertise bureau Offlimits reported receiving 142 alerts about Motherless so far this year, referencing over 12,000 suspected criminal videos. Of those alerts, 25 concerned potential child sexual abuse material .

🤔 The Defense: ‘We Are Not the Internet Police’

Elimeleh defends his company’s inaction by pointing up the ladder, stating that Motherless, not NForce, is responsible for removing the abuse content .

“Als klanten dat consequent niet doen, kunnen we de dienstverlening beëindigen.” (Translation: “If customers consistently fail to [remove illegal content], we can terminate the service.”)

He adds that NForce has a “welwillend” (favorable) relationship with reporting agencies regarding legal child pornography removals. Executive Director Robbert Hoving of Offlimits agrees that NForce generally responds to removal requests, but he argues this is insufficient:

“Waar rook is, is vuur. Juist dan moet worden onderzocht of het huidige wettelijke kader wel volstaat om dit soort ernstige schendingen aan te pakken.”
(Translation: “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. This is exactly when we need to investigate whether the current legal framework is sufficient to address this kind of serious violation.”) .

🔮 The Investigation and What’s Next

Despite the damning evidence and the fact that the physical servers are located in the Netherlands on a network openly provided by an Israeli national, Dutch authorities appear hesitant or legally unable to shut the website down .

Motherless has a history of penalties. The UK’s OFCOM previously fined the site’s owner £800,000 (approximately $1 million), yet the platform continues to operate globally .

The case has sparked urgent calls for reform of hosting regulations in the Netherlands and Europe. Victims rights groups are demanding that the “notice-and-takedown” defense enjoyed by services like NForce be rendered void when systemic criminality is allowed to persist across years of complaints .

For now, Motherless remains online, with Elimeleh’s NForce continuing to facilitate its operations, accepting cryptocurrency payments (which are harder to trace).

📋 Key Takeaways at a Glance

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