THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Dutch police have detained four men in a major investigation into allegations of drugging and sexually abusing women they knew then sharing videos of the abuse, in a case that has echoes of French woman Gisèle Pelicot’s ordeal.
The suspects, whose identities were not released in line with Dutch privacy rules, were detained after police, acting on information shared by authorities in Germany and the United Kingdom, searched several houses across the Netherlands over two days last week, police said in a statement Thursday.
“Information indicates that possibly multiple women in the Netherlands were drugged by someone in their immediate circle. Subsequently, sexual acts were performed on the victims while they were being filmed,” police said. They added that the men are suspected of using social media chat groups to share images of sexual abuse and information on how best to drug people.
It is still unclear how many people were abused. Police are trying to identify people who were abused from images on phones and computers seized in a series of raids last week.
“But what is clear is that this is a case with an enormous impact," Milou van der Kolk of the Rotterdam Sexual Crimes Team said in the police statement. "As a victim, you may not know what happened to you, because you may have been drugged and were unconscious. The news that your partner or an acquaintance may have drugged you and perhaps even raped you or attempted to do so can turn your life completely upside down.”
Police did not rule out making further arrests in the investigation.
In December 2024, Pelicot’s ex-husband, Dominique Pelicot, and 50 other men were convicted of sexually assaulting her between 2011 and 2020, while she was drugged into submission. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison, while the other defendants received sentences ranging from three to 15 years.
Dominique Pelicot, whom Gisèle Pelicot had been married to for nearly 50 years, acknowledged that for years he mixed sedatives into her food and drink so he could rape her and invite other men to do the same.
FILE - Gisele Pelicot speaks after she receives the Freedom From Fear Medal of the International Four Freedoms Award during a ceremony in Middelburg, Netherlands, April 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong, File)
ATLANTA (AP) — Chad Dallas was told on Tuesday he would be promoted for his major league debut with the Toronto Blue Jays.
The call came on Lou Gehrig Day, and it happened to be about a year since Dallas's father, Tony, died from ALS, the neurodegenerative disease now commonly known as Lou Gehrig's Disease in honor of the New York Yankees Hall of Famer.
“It was extremely special, like a little God wink,” Dallas said after allowing only two hits and one run in 3 2/3 innings to earn the win in the Blue Jays' 7-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Thursday night.
Dallas was promoted from Triple-A Buffalo to serve as the Blue Jays' bulk reliever behind opener Mason Fluharty.
Dallas immediately was given the opportunity to prove he could thrive in a stressful situation. The Braves had a runner on third base after Michael Harris II doubled and advanced to third before Toronto manager John Schneider pulled Fluharty and summoned Dallas, a right-hander.
Dallas entered the game with one out in the second and stranded Harris on third base. He ended the inning by striking out Sandy León.
“It was cool, though,” Dallas said of inheriting the runner on third when he is more accustomed to starting games. “It was something kind of new. And all you can do is go out there and just give them your best stuff. And you know tonight, I felt like I did that a good bit.”
Schneider said pitching out of the jam helped to ease the rookie's nerves.
“I think getting out of that inning there kind of set him up to settle down a little bit,” said Schneider of Dallas. “And he was great, man. You know, gets his first win in his debut. So pretty cool. Breaking stuff was really, really good and did his part tonight.”
Dallas said he had “tons of emotions” as the anticipation grew for his major league debut. He had friends and family travel from Orange, Texas, and Knoxville, Tennessee, where he pitched in college for Tennessee.
“Dreamed of this day since I was 3 or 4, once I started realizing what professional baseball was,” Dallas said. “And tons of emotions ... tons of happy, super excited. But overall, it was an amazing experience.”
Dallas was only 0-3 with a 4.50 ERA at Buffalo in his comeback after missing the 2025 season following Tommy John surgery. But the right-hander made an impression on Schneider while perhaps proving he could help the Blue Jays as a reliever when there is no longer a need for another starter.
When asked what is next for Dallas, Schneider said “Beer shower and a good flight to Toronto.”
Added Schneider “But really impressed with the job that he did tonight. ... The overall message is just go out, compete, trust your stuff and you know, get ready for whatever’s next.”
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Toronto Blue Jays pitching coach Pete Walker, center, speaks with pitcher Chad Dallas (37) and catcher Tyler Heineman (55) during the third inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Thursday, June 4, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser)
Toronto Blue Jays pitching coach Pete Walker, center, speaks with pitcher Chad Dallas (37) and catcher Tyler Heineman (55) during the third inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Thursday, June 4, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser)
Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Mason Fluharty delivers to an Atlanta Braves batter during the first inning of a baseball game, Thursday, June 4, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser)
A group of 'tarps off' shirtless male baseball fans cheer from the upper deck of Truist Park as the Atlanta Braves host the Toronto Blue Jays during the eighth inning of a baseball game, Thursday, June 4, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser)
Toronto Blue Jays' Nathan Lukes, right, celebrates with first base coach Mark Budzinski (53) after hitting an RBI single against the Atlanta Braves during the eighth inning of a baseball game, Thursday, June 4, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser)
Toronto Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr., left, celebrates with Myles Straw, right, after the Blue Jays defeated the Atlanta Braves in a baseball game, Thursday, June 4, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser)
Toronto Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr., left, celebrates with Kazuma Okamoto, right, after the Blue Jays defeated the Atlanta Braves in a baseball game, Thursday, June 4, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser)
