Fiona Nanna, ForeMedia News

5 minutes read. Updated 10:11AM GMT Wed, 28August, 2024

In a groundbreaking case that has shocked Australia and the global community, Muhammad Zain Ul Abideen Rasheed, a 29-year-old perpetrator of a heinous sextortion scheme, has been sentenced to 17 years in prison. Rasheed, who posed as a famous teenage YouTuber, blackmailed hundreds of young girls across 20 countries, including the UK, the US, Japan, and France. This case has been described as one of the worst sextortion scandals in history.

Rasheed’s criminal activities, which came to light after an extensive investigation by Australian authorities, involved coercing his victims into performing explicit acts on camera under the threat of distributing compromising images and messages to their friends and family. Disturbingly, two-thirds of Rasheed’s victims were under the age of 16.

Horrific Exploitation and Manipulation

In court, it was revealed that Rasheed would initially engage his victims by pretending to be a 15-year-old American internet sensation. He would then lure them into conversations about sexual fantasies, escalating the interaction into demands for degrading acts. The abuse sometimes extended to involving family pets and even other children, making the situation even more dire.

Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner David McLean described Rasheed’s actions as a “callous disregard” for the suffering of his victims, noting that the case is among the most severe instances of online exploitation ever prosecuted in Australia. Judge Amanda Burrows, who delivered the sentence, remarked that Rasheed’s offenses were so severe that there was “no comparable case” in the country.

Connection to Online Extremist Communities

The court also heard that Rasheed was active in misogynistic “incel” (involuntary celibate) communities online. His activities included livestreaming the abuse to large audiences, with up to 98 viewers at a time. The psychological toll on his victims was immense, with many expressing suicidal thoughts and sending images of self-harm in a desperate bid to escape the abuse.

Legal Proceedings and Current Status

Rasheed’s arrest followed a coordinated effort by Interpol and US investigators, leading to a police raid at his Perth residence in 2020. He was already serving a five-year sentence for sexually abusing a 14-year-old in a Perth park. Despite undergoing treatment in a sex offender rehabilitation program, Rasheed remains a high risk for reoffending. He will be eligible for parole in August 2033.