Squatty Potty founder indicted in federal child porn case; squatty potty creator arrested in Utah
Robert “Bobby” Edwards, 50, the entrepreneur who created the squatty potty, has been federally indicted on a count of receipt of child pornography and was arrested in Washington County, Utah, following a multi-year investigation that included undercover FBI activity and a November search of his home. The indictment and the seizures of devices tied to alleged downloads have prompted a formal company response after Squatty Potty was sold in 2021.
Federal indictment, arrest and initial court custody
A federal grand jury returned an indictment on Feb. 10 charging Robert “Bobby” Edwards, 50, with receipt of child pornography, and he was arrested in Washington County two days later. He pleaded not guilty during his initial court appearance and was ordered held without bail by Judge Paul Kohler in St. George. The U. S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Utah announced the charges on Monday.
Undercover FBI agent joined 2021 meeting where Edwards was visible on camera
The FBI began investigating Edwards in 2021 when an undercover agent joined a group chat that was being used to trade child pornography and followed a Zoom link into a virtual meeting room. The agent observed attendees watching child sexual abuse videos on a main screen, and the U. S. Attorney’s Office said participants were visible, including one user later identified as Edwards. Investigators linked Edwards to the account through an IP address that placed him in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and compared photos of him to his Zoom profile image and the live video.
May 2025 payment flags and a link to a UK distributor, John Carver
In May 2025, PayPal flagged four transactions as possibly related to child sexual abuse materials; prosecutors wrote that agents later learned those transactions were between Edwards and John Carver, a United Kingdom man who was arrested days later and ultimately convicted for distributing the materials and for blackmailing buyers. Prosecutors said Carver advertised illicit content on the messaging app Telegram, sent PayPal links for payment followed by links to purchased files, and sometimes distributed material in Zoom meetings like the one the agent witnessed in 2021.
November search warrant recovered devices and recent downloads
On Nov. 4, 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Edwards’ home and investigators said they found a cell phone in his vehicle that contained multiple videos and images of child sexual abuse material, some of which had been downloaded onto the phone just two weeks before the warrant was executed. Authorities also said they found additional images of child sexual abuse material in the home. Prosecutors have alleged devices recovered in the November search contained such material and messages discussing it.
Alleged chats, Edwards’ statements and unrelated drug conviction
Prosecutors included excerpts of chats they say involve Edwards, including one message that read, “Hey brother, Id love to perv but into most all jiust not into babies. 5+ is preferred[. ]” Edwards told agents that he “had no recollection of viewing child pornography, ” and he also told authorities he was addicted to methamphetamine, had been receiving treatment and was living off money he made when Squatty Potty was acquired, plus “some Bitcoin. ” Separately, Edwards pleaded guilty to drug-related offenses in Utah’s 5th District Court in November 2023 and records indicate he signed up through a private probation company for two years of supervision.
Founding, growth, sale of Squatty Potty and company statement
Edwards founded The Squatty Potty in 2011 with his mom, dad and brother, the Washington County Historical Society said. The product idea followed a doctor’s recommendation that Edwards’ mother use a footstool to raise her knees on the toilet to ease longtime constipation; Edwards fashioned a footstool with a cut-out that could wrap around the toilet base. The family featured the invention on The Doctors in 2012 and pitched it on Shark Tank two years later; the team made a deal with Lori Greiner and had $12. 3 million in sales within three months of the Shark Tank appearance. A later Squatty Potty advertisement featuring the brand’s mascot Dookie the unicorn was viewed 42 million times.
Aterian, Inc. purchased Squatty Potty in 2021 for $19 million, and the company reported more than 8 million stools sold as of 2022. Squatty Potty released a statement late Tuesday saying all associations with Edwards “ceased” after the acquisition, that references to his family’s role were removed Tuesday from its “Our Story” page, and that it was “deeply disturbed by the indictment, ” adding, “The nature of these
Public images and earlier appearances
Edwards has presented his invention on Season 11 of Shark Tank and attended public industry events; a photo shows Robert Edwards and his family at the 20th Annual Webby Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on May 16, 2016, in New York City. A court image file shows Fifth District Court in St. George on Wednesday, May 3, 2023.
