A Bangladeshi national, Zobaidul Amin (28), has been arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) over allegations of operating an international child sexual exploitation and trafficking network.
After being detained in Malaysia, he has already been transferred to the U.S. state of Alaska to face charges.
The information was confirmed on Friday through a post on social media platform X by FBI Director Kash Patel. Authorities had been searching for Zobaidul since 2022 over multiple allegations.
According to the FBI director, Zobaidul was brought from Malaysia to Alaska, where he will face the charges filed against him. Further details about the case are expected to be released later.
Investigators said Zobaidul had been accused since 2022 of operating a large international network involved in child sexual exploitation. U.S. investigators began efforts to locate and arrest him, eventually capturing him with the assistance of the FBI’s Kuala Lumpur office and Malaysian authorities. He is expected to appear before a U.S. federal court.
U.S. authorities also revealed that a grand jury in Alaska filed a 13-count indictment against Zobaidul Amin in July 2022. If the charges are proven, he could face a prison sentence ranging from 20 years to life.
According to the indictment, Zobaidul allegedly used social media platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat to identify minors. He then allegedly pressured them through various methods to produce explicit images and videos.
Investigators believe his criminal activities were not limited to Alaska but extended across several U.S. states and internationally.
