A 27-year-old man in Australia has been charged with 596 child-abuse related offences after allegedly targeting 459 victims across 16 countries through social media and gaming platforms, investigators said.
A 27-year-old man in Australia has been charged with hundreds of child-abuse-related offences after allegedly “actively targeting” children on social media and gaming platforms, according to Queensland Police. Police said the offences involved 459 victims across Australia and 15 other countries.
The man, who has been held in custody since February last year, faces 596 charges after investigators uncovered more than 23,000 images and videos of alleged abuse on his electronic devices.
Detective Acting Chief Superintendent Denzil Clark said the “volume” of material meant the identification process required “time, skill and commitment”.
So far, 360 victims have been identified, and investigations remain ongoing.
Majority of victims were boys
Police said more than 200 of the victims were in Australia, with others living overseas, mainly in English-speaking nations. Most were boys between seven and 15 years old.
Authorities are continuing to work with international partners to identify additional victims and ensure they receive support, Clark added.
He warned of an “increasing prevalence of children being groomed, coerced, or threatened into taking and sending sexual images of themselves, often through popular apps, games, and social media sites”.
“The trauma that this causes a child is significant,” he said.
Suspect used multiple profiles to groom children
According to police, the man allegedly targeted children between 2018 and 2025, using numerous online profiles and posing as both men and women. All alleged offending occurred online.
Investigators said the man recorded interactions and used “grooming and coercion” to obtain explicit material, which he saved in “meticulously” labelled folders. Additional suspects are also being investigated, Clark noted.
The man is facing hundreds of charges, including 244 counts of producing child abuse material through a carriage service, 163 counts of using a carriage service to procure persons under 16, 87 counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child using a carriage service.
The man was due to appear in court on Thursday.
End of Article
