Squatty Potty Inventor Charged With Possession Of Child Pornography

The founder of the popular bathroom product “Squatty Potty” has been arrested and charged with allegedly buying child pornography.

Robert Edwards, 50, was charged with receipt of child pornography and pleaded not guilty in his initial appearance on February 12. 

The U.S. Attorney’s Office alleged that Edwards “knowingly received multiple images of child sexual abuse material” on multiple occasions between March 2021 and November 2025. An undercover FBI agent alleged that Edwards was a user in a group chat and “was viewing a collection of child sexual abuse material videos” in March 2021, per Entertainment Weekly.

“Edwards was suspected of purchasing additional child sexual abuse material via his PayPal account” in May 2025, the filings state, and noted that officers allegedly discovered “multiple videos and images” of child pornography on a cell phone found in his car and on other personal devices in his home.

His detention hearing is scheduled for March 2

Edwards began selling his invention, Squatty Potty, a footstool that helps users with bowel movements, in 2011. He went viral with his invention after appearing alongside his mother on “Shark Tank” in 2014. The entrepreneur received an investment from Lori Greiner.

Barbara Corcoran, meanwhile, told Edwards, “There’s something about you that I’m not believing. I trust your mom … but you’re hopping and weaving a lot. And it’s making me more nervous as I listen. I’m definitely out.” 

NEW: ‘Squatty Potty’ creator Robert Edwards, who was on Shark Tank, arrested in Utah for child p*rn.

Edwards is “partnered” to a man and is a “co-parent” to four children, according to his profile on Southern Utah Cares.

During his appearance on Shark Tank, Barbara Corcoran… pic.twitter.com/gfEfazYmWx

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) February 25, 2026

The bathroom aid became a massive hit. Edwards and his mother returned to “Shark Tank” in 2020 and said they had made $175 million from the product since they first appeared on the show. They sold Squatty Potty to consumer product company Aterian in 2021, the outlet noted.

The company released a statement in the wake of the scandal.

“Aterian has no affiliation, partnership, or ongoing relationship with Mr. Robert Edwards. Edwards was part of a group, including private equity firms, that sold specific assets to Aterian in a one-time transaction in 2021,” it said. “Following the completion of that acquisition, all associations with Edwards and his family ceased. He is not an employee, a partner, or a stakeholder in our company.  Any claims to the contrary are categorically false.”

“We are deeply disturbed by the indictment against Edwards. The nature of these allegations is abhorrent and wholly inconsistent with our company’s values. While the family was previously referenced on our website in a historical context, we have removed those references. They have no role in our brand’s present or future,” the statement concluded.