BRISBANE, Queensland (CelebrityAccess) — A 42-year-old Australian man accused of perpetrating more than 900 sex offenses against children, allegedly pretended to be pop star Justin Bieber to lure kids online.
According to the New York Times, the Queensland Police Service said that the victims included dozens of Bieber’s fans in Australia, Britain and the United States.
The man, who was not identified, was already facing previous charges of possessing material exploiting children, and of using the internet to entice victims under the age of 16, the Times reported.
Police raided the man's home after he initially refused to allow police to access his social media accounts. While examining his computer, investigators found that he was allegedly using applications including Facebook and Skype to convince children to send him explicit images.
“This investigation demonstrates both the vulnerability of children that are utilizing social media and communication applications and the global reach and skill that child-sex offenders have to groom and seduce victims,” Queensland Police Service Detective Inspector Rouse said in a statement. “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.” – Staff Writers
