Coquitlam RCMP have confirmed police in the Netherlands arrested a 35 year-old man in connection with the suicide death of Coquitlam teenager Amanda Todd.
In a sweeping international investigation, Coquitlam RCMP have also confirmed the man faces charges here in B.C. as well.
Insp. Paulette Freill said the RCMP has been working diligently on Todd’s case, which has “touched millions and millions of people around the world.”
While refusing to identify the suspect, court documents indicate the man is named Aydin Coban.
The Dutch National Public Prosecutor's Office has confirmed the arrest, saying it believes there may be dozens of other victims in different countries.
A news release from the Dutch prosecutor’s office said the man was arrested in January and is suspected of encouraging underage girls in several countries, including the U.S., the U.K. and the Netherlands, to perform sexual acts in front of a web camera.
He has been charged with a string of offences including extortion, internet luring, criminal harassment, and possessing child pornography, according to police.
More than 30 officers participated in the 3.5-year investigation that reached many countries.
Amanda Todd was just 15 when she took her own life in October 2012 after being harassed online.
Her mother, Carol Todd, was at the news conference and only learned about the charges a couple hours before she spoke.
“This is truly a day that we have been waiting for to hear that something has come out of the case, Amanda’s story. I always knew deep in my heart that what my daughter told was the truth,” she said.
The Dutch media report says the suspect has remained silent, and has invoked his right to remain silent. The man reportedly made his first court appearance Wednesday.
The man is also suspected of posing as an underage boy and encouraging men to perform sexual acts on webcam, then blackmailing them by threatening to give the images to the police, the news release said.
The man's lawyer, Christian van Dijk, said he doesn't believe there’s enough evidence to convict his client. He said his client’s computer may have been hacked.
The YouTube video Todd posted before her death has since been viewed more than 17 million times. Freill said the teen’s death has changed the way society and police talk about social media and online bullying.
Todd’s mother said she hopes people will draw lessons from the tragedy.
“It is my hope and our hope that Amanda’s legacy will continue to move forward,” she said.
With files from The Canadian Press and The Associated Press
