SA man faces child porn charges in the US

12 March 2015 - 02:47 By Graeme Hosken
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A teddy bear. File photo
A teddy bear. File photo
Image: Thinkstock

An Eastern Cape guesthouse owner, the alleged kingpin of an international child porn syndicate, has been arrested in a joint raid by police and the US's FBI.

Plans are now under way to have the 53-year-old Grahamstown man extradited to the US to stand trial for the abuse of 600 girls.

For years, the man allegedly pretended to be a teenage girl, conning his victims into performing sexual acts on themselves, which he recorded then streamed over the internet.

The suspect - who faces charges of possession, manufacture and distribution of child pornography - is the administrator of a website linked to paedophiles in the US, Canada and Europe.

Members of the Gauteng Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit were tipped off by Interpol after seven people were arrested in the US.

Unit commander Colonel Heila Niemand confirmed the arrest and the extradition plans.

Niemand said the man allegedly sourced his victims through social media websites.

"Once he found a victim he would gain their trust before getting them to allegedly perform sexual acts, which he recorded.

"He would use these videos to con other girls into doing the same thing," she said.

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