ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Diya TV) — A Bangladeshi national accused of running one of the most prolific international child exploitation operations in U.S. history has been extradited from Malaysia to face charges in federal court.
Zobaidul Amin, 28, is scheduled to make his first court appearance Friday afternoon in the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. Federal prosecutors allege Amin used social media apps like Instagram and Snapchat to exploit and abuse hundreds of minors in the United States and around the world. He faces multiple charges, including child exploitation, production, and distribution of child pornography, cyberstalking, aggravated identity theft, and wire fraud.
According to court documents, a federal grand jury indicted Amin in July 2022. Investigators say he posed as young girls online and coerced minors into producing sexually explicit and sadistic content. Prosecutors claim he then used those materials to further threaten and extort his victims.
Before the charges in the United States, Amin lived in Malaysia, where he attended medical school. In September 2022, Malaysian authorities charged him with 13 counts related to possession and production of child pornography. After a coordinated international effort involving the FBI, the U.S. Department of Justice, the State Department, and the Malaysian government, Amin was extradited to Alaska on March 4.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi praised the successful extradition.
“Yesterday’s return from Malaysia of a Bangladeshi national who allegedly abused and sexually exploited hundreds of minor victims worldwide is another successful example of the Administration’s increased efforts to find criminals hiding abroad,” Bondi said.
She highlighted the importance of international cooperation in combatting online child sexual abuse and ensuring that “these sick abusers face justice on American soil.” FBI Director Kash Patel echoed that sentiment.
“The FBI’s commitment to protecting our children from exploitation doesn’t change whether an offender is here in the United States or overseas,” Patel said. “In collaboration with our partners, we will continue to ensure perpetrators like Amin are held accountable and brought to justice.”
The FBI Anchorage Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force led the investigation. They received help from numerous local and international agencies, including:
The Alaska State Troopers, Anchorage Police Department, Royal Malaysia Police, and more than a dozen law enforcement agencies across the United States contributed to the effort. U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman called the case “one of the most prolific child exploitation cases ever seen in the United States.
“The impact of this case is that of international magnitude,” Heyman said. “We are grateful for the strong collaboration that made this transfer possible, enabling us to move forward and seek justice for victims.”
Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office said Amin’s arrest proves offenders cannot hide behind borders or online anonymity.
“Those who target children online cannot hide,” Day said. “This operation is a testament to the strength of our international partnerships and the FBI’s relentless pursuit of justice.”
Amin faces several federal charges, including:
- Conspiracy to produce child pornography
- Conspiracy to receive and distribute child pornography
- Production of child pornography
- Receipt of child pornography
- Child exploitation enterprise
- Cyberstalking
- Aggravated identity theft
- Wire fraud
If convicted, he could face 20 years to life in federal prison. A U.S. district court judge will decide his sentence based on federal guidelines and other legal factors. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Alexander and Jennifer Ivers are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a national initiative launched by the Department of Justice in 2006. The program aims to protect children from online exploitation through the coordination of federal, state, and local law enforcement.
