World of Secrets: The Darkest Web

Episode 1. Meeting a Monster (BBC, Feb 16, 2026)

Episode Overview

This gripping debut episode of World of Secrets: The Darkest Web follows BBC journalist Sam Paranti as he gains rare, years-in-the-making access to two US Special Agents—Greg Squire and Pete Manning of the Department of Homeland Security. Their work plunges them into the darkest corners of the Internet, fighting child sexual abuse spread through the “dark web.” The episode sets the stage for a chilling investigation, beginning with a single case and unraveling the immense personal and technical challenges faced in a relentless global hunt for both victims and perpetrators.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Start: An Unimaginable Crime (01:35–02:56)

• Discovery of Abuse
  • Agents Squire and Manning first learn, via a trusted contact, of images showing a 12-year-old American girl who has been abused for years, with pictures circulated on the dark web.
  • This triggers a determined effort to identify and rescue her.
• The Environment of the Dark Web
  • The dark web is described as “an encrypted corner of the Internet only accessible using special software, software designed with privacy in mind.”
  • Users are, for all intents and purposes, untraceable.
  • The task: identify a victim and her location based only on the scantest details visible in the background of the horrific images (furniture, a bare brick wall).

2. Meet the Agents (06:06–07:52)

• Dynamic Partnership
  • Paranti meets Squire and Manning in a nondescript Boston café, contrasting personalities but united by purpose:
    • Manning, an ex-Secret Service agent: reserved, tech savvy.
    • Squire: outgoing, physical, brings energy to their work.
• Professional Chemistry
  • The agents quickly found common ground, especially as both were fathers of young children, deepening their resolve.

3. Early Investigations and a Breakthrough Case (08:06–13:28)

• First Steps into the Online Underworld
  • Squire recounts an early case from 2010: a tip from a confidential informant about a “support” site, which masked actual abuse discussions.
• The Pivotal Clue: The Orange Jumper (10:45–13:28)
  • The agents notice a new, high-resolution image sent via webcam—a giveaway that the abuse may be current.
  • A vital clue: a young boy in an orange jumper holding a white bunny toy (Miffy, popular in Holland). This enables international cooperation.
• Public Appeal Pays Off (13:33–15:36)
  • Dutch police air the image on TV, leading to a breakthrough when the boy's grandfather recognizes him.
  • The abuser, Robert Mikkelsens, is identified as a trusted babysitter/daycare worker in Amsterdam, which opens the case wide.

4. The Unfathomable Scale: Uncovering Mikkelsens (15:51–17:24)

• Magnitude of the Crime
  • Over 46,000 images are found in Mikkelsens’s possession. 75 families call police the first day.
  • His conviction and the ensuing arrests of dozens globally cause seismic ripples in Dutch society and child care policies.
• Impact on Law Enforcement
  • Squire and Manning are deeply affected—motivated by the rush and responsibility of solving these high-stakes mysteries.

5. Into the Mind of Evil: Interviewing Mikkelsens (20:03–27:56)

• Encountering the Perpetrator
  • The agents travel to Amsterdam for a face-to-face interview with Mikkelsens, described as a “psychopath…extremely smart…very manipulative” ([23:05]).
  • He treats the agents with a chilling nonchalance, egotistically enjoying their attention.
• Strategic Interrogation
  • Mikkelsens tests Manning’s technical knowledge, developing a twisted sense of camaraderie with his interrogator.
  • Crucially, he reveals the technical methods used to distribute the abuse material: he and his husband, Von Olfen, set up a Tor site to gain notoriety in the criminal community.

6. Entering the Dark Web (26:34–29:00)

• Learning About Tor
  • The agents realize they must learn about the Tor network to keep up with evolving online crime.
  • “For me it was a brand new word, but it was a real eye opener that we sort of were looking at each other going, we're going to have to look into that when we get back to the U.S.” — Greg Squire ([29:00]).

7. The Search for "Lucy": Next Steps (29:20–30:19)

• Returning to the Present Case
  • On returning to the US, Greg and Pete get word of the American girl whose abuse images were found on Mikkelsens’ hard drive. They call her “Lucy.”
  • All they have are details from her environment in the images—clothes, bedspread, walls.

8. A High-Tech Hunt for Identification (30:19–31:52)

• Innovative Investigative Techniques
  • Manning focuses on photo analysis: metadata, environmental clues, and a potential breakthrough—using Facebook’s vast database to search for Lucy’s image.
• Cliffhanger
  • The episode ends as they prepare to try to identify Lucy using facial recognition on Facebook.

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On the Victim’s Trauma:
  “To look at her as a six year old little girl and to see her eyes…then to look at her in that 12 year old range and just to see that start to dim…to go, who has the right to extinguish that?”
  — Greg Squire ([03:44])

• On Interrogating Mikkelsens:
  “He liked having US law enforcement come over to interview him. In his mind, it made him like the star of the movie, maybe even the hero in his unique group of the worst people in the world.”
  — Pete Manning ([25:38])

• On Motivation:
  “It’s like this hit of adrenaline…that you had some small part in the identification of this ultimate mystery…to be able to find one person in the entire world…It’s, I don’t say that in an arrogant way…It’s more of a challenge on steroids that you’re able to solve.”
  — Pete Manning ([17:24])

• On the Dark Web:
  “We focus on the part of the Internet that most people don’t either know about or they know about and have no real need to use or don’t care to use it. It’s called the Dark Web.”
  — Pete Manning ([07:37])

• On Entering the Investigation:
  “There’s definitely no off switch…But they didn’t choose this.”
  — Greg Squire ([03:14])

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |-----------------------------------------------------------|--------------| | Content warning & series premise | 01:17–01:35 | | Discovery of Lucy & dark web context | 01:54–03:14 | | Meet Pete & Greg – personalities and partnership | 06:06–07:52 | | Early child abuse case, orange jumper & public appeal | 08:06–15:36 | | Scale of Mikkelsens case & aftermath | 15:51–17:24 | | “Rush” of identification described | 17:24–18:16 | | Going to Amsterdam to interview Mikkelsens | 18:16–23:35 | | The interview room: psychology of the perpetrator | 23:35–27:56 | | Tor network discovery and technical challenges | 20:26–29:00 | | Return to Lucy—current investigation and Facebook angle | 29:20–31:52 |

Tone and Storytelling

The episode is sober, immersive, and driven by the gravitas of its subject—grappling with the horrors of crimes against children while spotlighting the incredible commitment and personal toll on the investigators fighting it. Paranti’s access brings humanity and immediacy, with agents speaking frankly and emotionally. The episode ends on a note of suspense, as the investigation into “Lucy’s” identity picks up pace, promising deeper looks into the digital detective work and the grim realities of pursuing justice in the age of the dark web.

For Listeners

This episode is challenging but compelling journalism. It provides behind-the-scenes insights into real-life law enforcement, the horrifying realities of cyber-enabled abuse, and the relentless determination required to bring even a glimmer of hope to the darkest cases. The story continues with a deep dive into just how agents might use modern technology—and creative thinking—to save a life when every second, and every clue, counts.

[End of Episode 1 Summary]