ST. GEORGE, Utah — A man from southern Utah who co-created the "Squatty Potty" toilet stool has been charged in federal court for allegedly obtaining videos and photos depicting the sexual abuse of children.
The United States Attorney’s Office announced Monday that 50-year-old Robert "Bobby" Edwards was indicted by a grand jury on charges of "receipt of child pornography."
Edwards, a resident of Ivins, was arrested on Feb. 12 after the indictment.
A federal judge in St. George remanded him to the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service. He is being held without bail and has a hearing scheduled for March 2 at the St. George Courthouse.
Prosecutors say the case began in 2021 when an undercover FBI agent joined a group chat that people use to trade "child sexual abuse material" (CSAM). Someone in the chat shared a link to a Zoom meeting, where a screen was being shared that showed child sexual abuse videos.
Investigators said the participants in the Zoom meeting were visible, including one labeled "B E," which they later determined to be Edwards. They said his camera was sometimes on and showed other men in the room with him, and when it was off, it showed a profile picture of him. They then traced the Zoom account to Edwards.
In May 2025, investigators suspected that Edwards had been purchasing child pornography after PayPal flagged his account for four transactions "possibly related to CSAM." They discovered payments to a man in the United Kingdom — who was later convicted of child pornography offenses there.
Police executed a search warrant on Edwards' home and belongings in November. They said they found pornographic videos and images of children on his cell phone and additional electronic devices, which ultimately led to the charges.
Back in 2014, Edwards' "Squatty Potty" invention won him a big investment on the show "Shark Tank." He and his family sold the company in 2021 for $30 million.
He's also been a significant presence in the arts community in St. George. Before the Squatty Potty, Edwards was already prominent in southern Utah for helping launch the Kayenta Center for the Arts in 2011 and acting as its first director.
FOX 13 News spoke to several people affiliated with Edwards. None would go on camera, but all expressed emotions of shock. One said they were absolutely devastated.
