WARNING: This article contains details about sexual extortion and may affect those who have experienced it or know someone who has.
Dutch citizen Aydin Coban has been convicted of extortion, two counts of possession of child pornography, child attraction and criminal stalking against Amanda Todd, the BC teenager whose story went viral after she killed herself almost a decade ago.
A jury delivered the verdict in Supreme Court in New Westminster, BC, after a day of deliberation.
Todd’s mother, Carol Todd, sat in the back row of the audience gallery Saturday, taking notes. He repositioned himself as Coban returned to the courtroom, within his line of sight.
He reacted strongly as each guilty verdict was read in court.
Coban, wearing a navy blue button-down shirt, showed little reaction when the verdict was read.
Amanda Todd committed suicide on October 10, 2012, after posting a video on YouTube saying she had been blackmailed by an online predator. (Telus Originals)
His verdict comes after seven weeks of testimony with dozens of witnesses, exhibits and evidence presented by Crown prosecutors before the start of closing arguments.
Coban’s defense attorney did not call for any evidence at trial.
On Friday, BC Supreme Court Justice Martha Devlin spent the day instructing the jury that they could only find Coban guilty of the charges against him if the Crown had proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt. Otherwise, he said, they must acquit him.
Aydin Coban is pictured at the time of his arrest, entered into an exhibit during his trial in BC Supreme Court. The 44-year-old has been convicted of extortion, two counts of possession of child pornography, child attraction and criminal harassment against Amanda Todd. (BC Supreme Court)
Over the course of several hours, Devlin reviewed the testimony and evidence that had been presented to jurors during the long and complex trial. He walked jurors through the definition of each criminal count sworn against Coban, explaining the criteria the Crown had to meet in order to convict.
Todd committed suicide on October 10, 2012, aged 15, after being exploited online over a period of three years. Before he died, he told his story in a nine-minute video posted on YouTube.
The video went viral around the world after his death, with 14.8 million views as of August.
Coban, 44, pleaded not guilty to five criminal charges related to Todd’s case, including extortion, possession of child pornography and child attraction. He was not charged in Todd’s death.
Crown attorney Louise Kenworthy closed her arguments earlier last week, saying there was a “treasure trove of information” linking Coban to Todd’s stalking and extortion.
Earlier in the trial, a Dutch officer testified that a deleted video file called “AmandaTodd.wmv” had been played on one of the devices in December 2010, corresponding to a time when Todd was being actively harassed.
Carol Todd, the mother of Amanda Todd, is pictured outside the courthouse in New Westminster, BC on June 6, 2022. (Ben Nelms/CBC)
But Coban’s defense argued that sharing a link “is not child pornography.”
The video was sent as a link, but there was nothing to show it was stored as data on the seized devices, Joseph Saulnier told the jury on the second day of his closing arguments.
The defense lawyer also disputed Crown allegations that Coban was behind 22 online accounts that harassed and extorted Todd.
Earlier in the trial, the jury heard from a BC RCMP officer who had initially investigated Todd’s harassment allegations in 2011. He said Todd wanted the harassing messages he was receiving to stop.
Todd’s parents went to the police when the messages to their daughter continued even after she had changed schools.
Todd’s mother, Carol, has attended Coban’s trial every day, sitting in the back of the courtroom, a few feet from the prisoner’s box. The defendant sat with his back to her.
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, here’s how to get help:
This guide of the Center for Addictions and Mental Health explains how to talk about suicide with someone you care about.
The police also suggest the following to avoid becoming a victim of sexual extortion:
- Never answer video calls from people you don’t know.
- If you accidentally connect with someone you don’t know via live streaming, hang up immediately.
- Always answer video calls with the camera off until you know the identity of the caller.
Anyone who finds themselves targeted should immediately stop communicating with the suspected scammer and report it to the police. Child exploitation can be reported online at www.cybertip.ca.
Police also say victims must not follow through on threats and must keep records of any correspondence with the perpetrator.