Robert “Bobby” Edwards, the entrepreneur who invented Squatty Potty and appeared on the television show Shark Tank, has been arrested on charges of receiving child sex abuse materials. The 46-year-old was taken into custody at a residence in Utah on February 12, 2026, following a federal grand jury indictment two days earlier.
Prosecutors allege that Edwards knowingly received multiple images depicting child sexual abuse between March 2021 and November 2025. Unsealed court documents obtained by The Salt Lake Tribune reveal that his home was raided late last year, where agents discovered child sex abuse materials. The files included messages Edwards allegedly sent in private chat rooms, with one reading: “Hey brother, Id (sic) love to perv but into most all jiust (sic) not into babies. 5+ is preferred.”
According to the documents, an undercover FBI agent joined an online chat group used to trade child sex abuse materials in March 2021. In one meeting, members viewed a collection of videos depicting child sex abuse, and agents allegedly identified Edwards as a participant. Edwards was linked to the account via his IP address, which indicated he was in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Four transactions made by Edwards were flagged by PayPal as possibly related to child sex abuse materials, and the documents allege they were sent to a man in the United Kingdom, who was later arrested and convicted on related charges.
Edwards has pleaded not guilty to the charge of receiving sexually explicit images of a child. His detention hearing is scheduled for March 2, 2026. According to the documents, he told agents that “he had no recollection of viewing child pornography.” At the time of his arrest, Edwards was living on proceeds from the sale of his company and receiving treatment for methamphetamine addiction.
Edwards rose to fame as the co-founder of Squatty Potty, a toilet stool designed to improve posture during bowel movements. He secured a $350,000 investment from Shark Tank investor Lori Greiner. The company was later acquired by Aterian in 2021 for $19 million. In a statement, a spokesperson for Aterian said the company has “no affiliation, partnership, or ongoing relationship with Mr. Robert Edwards” and described the allegations as “abhorrent and wholly inconsistent with our company’s values.”
