A 42-year-old Australia man who allegedly pretended to be Justin Bieber on social media in order to lure children into sex has been charged with 931 child sex offenses after detectives allegedly uncovered evidence on his computer.
Queensland police appealed for “extra vigilance” among young fans of pop star Justin Bieber, best known for his 2010 hit son “Baby,” after laying hundreds of charges against a man pretending to be the star online, Britain’s The Guardian reported. Specifically, the man is accused of tricking young victims from overseas into sending him explicit images
The unidentified man was charged with rape, indecent treatment of children, using a carriage service to procure a child under 16, and making child exploitation material. He was charged Thursday, after police from the child protection task force Argos reportedly conducted a “thorough examination” of his laptop, which allegedly contained child exploitation material dating back at least a decade.
The predator allegedly used Facebook, Skype, and other online platforms to prey upon children.
The investigation showed “both the vulnerability of children that are utilising social media and communication applications and the global reach and skill that child sex offenders have to groom and seduce victims,” Argos inspector Jon Rouse told The Guardian. “The fact that so many children could believe that they were communicating with this particular celebrity highlights the need for a serious rethink about the way that we, as a society, educate our children about online safety.”
“I want to recognise the efforts and commitment of the investigative team at task force Argos to keeping children safe,” Rouse concluded.
The alleged rapist is scheduled to appear in the Brisbane magistrates court on April 6.
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