Justin Bieber Impostor on 931 Child Sex-Related Charges
A man who posed as Justin Bieber online has been charged with more than 900 child sex-related crimes in Australia.
The man, 42, masqueraded as the singer to solicit explicit images from children, Queensland Police said.
Already accused of grooming children, the man was this week charged with 931 new crimes including three of rape.
Detective Inspector Jon Rouse called the allegations “frankly horrendous” and warned young fans of the singer and parents to be vigilant.
“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,” said Mr Rouse.
How can I keep my children safe online?
How the allegations surfaced
Police said the man was already under investigation for possessing exploitative material and grooming children before they searched his computer this week.
They said they had found evidence he had been using “multiple online platforms” including Facebook and Skype to communicate with children.
The fresh claims, dating back to 2007, include three charges of rape and five of indecently treating a child under 12, police said.
Police did not detail where the children were, but Mr Rouse said the allegations showed “the global reach and skill that child sex offenders have to groom and seduce victims”.
He urged parents to help keep children safe online.
The accused man will face a Brisbane court on 6 April.
| Charge | Number of alleged offences |
|---|---|
| Rape | 3 |
| Indecent treatment of children | 5 |
| Making child exploitation material | 272 |
| Using a carriage service to menace, harass or cause offence | 9 |
| Using a carriage service for child pornography material – causes to be transmitted to oneself | 29 |
| Using a carriage service for child pornography material – transmits/promotes | 3 |
| Using a carriage service for child pornography material – solicits | 231 |
| Using a carriage service to procure persons under 16 years of age | 240 |
| Using carriage service to groom persons under 16 years of age – act in front of sender | 92 |
| Using carriage service to groom persons under 16 years of age | 39 |
| Using carriage service to transmit indecent communication to person under 16 years of age | 7 |
| Use a carriage service to access child pornography material | 1 |
| Source: Queensland Police |