Robert Edwards, the multimillionaire co-founder of the popular toilet stool company “Squatty Potty,” has been charged with federal offenses in Utah for allegedly purchasing child sexual abuse materials. The announcements were made by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Utah, following his arrest.
The 50-year-old entrepreneur is accused of acquiring a substantial volume of child sexual abuse materials from March 2021 to November 2025. Edwards was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 10 and apprehended two days later in Washington County.
The investigation began in March 2021 when an undercover FBI agent infiltrated a chat group used for the exchange of child sexual abuse material. During this operation, authorities identified Edwards as a participant, who actively engaged in the viewing of the illicit content.
According to law enforcement, Edwards’ activities included suspicious transactions via his PayPal account, leading them to suspect that he had acquired additional abusive materials. A search warrant executed in November at his residence yielded multiple devices, including a cellphone containing numerous videos and images of child sexual abuse, some of which were reportedly downloaded just weeks prior.
During an initial court appearance, Edwards pleaded not guilty to the charges related to child pornography and was ordered to be held without bail by Judge Paul Kohler in St. George.
Edwards is widely known for co-founding Squatty Potty in 2011, a product developed to alleviate his mother’s constipation issues. His successful pitch to investor Lori Greiner on the television show “Shark Tank” propelled the family into multimillionaire status, according to a CNBC article highlighting the company.
Edwards is scheduled to return to court on March 2 for a detention hearing, where further proceedings will take place as the case unfolds. This situation serves as a stark reminder of the troubling issues surrounding child exploitation and the legal consequences that accompany such actions.