A man who police allege created and operated an exploitation game that allowed subscribers to mimic sex offences against children has been charged in a landmark investigation.
The 31-year-old was arrested at his Geelong home earlier this month and later charged with a slew of offences including controlling, producing and possessing child abuse material.
Police allege the man created the online platform, entirely comprised of animated images, and charged subscriptions to use the game to simulate offences.
“It’s believed a number of people across Australia and internationally had paid subscriptions to the game,” Victoria Police said in a statement on Sunday.
Officers executed a warrant at the man’s residence, seizing two vehicles, multiple high-end televisions and audio-visual equipment.
The property is all suspected to be proceeds of crime, derived from the offending.
Australian Federal Police Criminal Assets Confiscation Taskforce Commander Paula Hudson said the man obtained “significant financial benefits” from the game.
“The AFP will not tolerate anyone trying to cash in on the abuse of children by enabling predators to pay for simulated exploitation of children,” she said.
Victoria Police Commander Paul O’Halloran said the landmark police probe marks the first time in Victoria that an investigation has focused on a locally created platform of this nature.
“For someone to create this kind of platform and treat this crime theme as a game, is completely horrifying especially when that person is essentially in our own backyard,” he said.
“While the material on the platform does not involve live children, it has been created to mimic that and this is clearly of great concern to us.”
The man faced Geelong Magistrates’ Court and was bailed to appear again in December.
Police will work with the eSafety Commissioner to remove the game as the investigation continues.
