Perth man jailed for abusing over 100 children worldwide

A 29-year-old man from Perth, Muhammad Zain Ul Abideen Rasheed, has been sentenced to 17 years in prison for sexually exploiting 286 victims, including 180 children, across 20 countries. His crimes, which spanned 11 months, involved coercing victims into performing explicit acts on camera under the guise of being a teenage YouTube celebrity. The Australian Federal Police (AFP) reported that Rasheed's actions were among the most horrific cases of sextortion in the country’s history. The court proceedings revealed that Rasheed threatened victims with the dissemination of their explicit images unless they complied with increasingly degrading demands. The judge, Amanda Burrows, highlighted the particularly abhorrent nature of his conduct, which sometimes involved family pets and younger siblings. The sheer volume of offenses was unprecedented in Australia, prompting a strong response from law enforcement. International collaboration played a crucial role in Rasheed's arrest, with the AFP working alongside Interpol and Homeland Security Investigations to identify victims and prevent further abuse. The investigation underscored the devastating impact of online exploitation, with victims left to grapple with the fear of their recordings being shared. In addition to his online crimes, Rasheed is serving a five-year sentence for a separate incident involving the sexual abuse of a 14-year-old in his car. His background, having moved from Pakistan to Australia at a young age, was noted by psychiatrists, who described his upbringing as traditional and conservative. The case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of online predation and the importance of safeguarding children in digital spaces.