Robert “Bobby” Edwards and his mother Judy Edwards appeared on “Shark Tank” in 2014.
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Squatty Toilet co-founder Robert “Bobby” Edwards has been arrested and charged with receiving child sexual abuse images, the Utah State Attorney’s Office announced.
Starting in early 2021, Edwards participated in an online conference room where child sexual abuse images were traded, according to a news release.
Edwards, 50, was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 10 and arrested two days later in Washington County, Utah. He was charged with receiving child pornography and pleaded not guilty at his first court appearance. A detention hearing is scheduled for March 2nd.
In 2014, Edwards and her mother, Judy Edwards, appeared on “Shark Tank” for Squatty Potty, a product aimed at relieving constipation while pooping. They signed Lori Greiner and the product became one of the most successful in show history.
The Edwards family sold Squatty Potty to consumer goods company Atelian in May 2021. Atelian said in a statement on the Squatty Potty website that it has no connection to Bobby Edwards.
“We are deeply disturbed by the charges against Edwards. The nature of these allegations is abhorrent and completely inconsistent with our company’s values,” the statement said.
USA TODAY has reached out to Edwards’ attorney for comment.
Squatty Potty founder’s cell phone allegedly contained images of child sexual abuse
In March 2021, an undercover FBI agent participated in an online group chat used to exchange images of child sexual abuse, authorities said.
Edwards, of Ivins, Utah, was one of the visible participants in the online conference room where the images were being streamed, according to a news release.
Authorities continued their investigation into November 2025 and executed a search warrant on Edwards’ property. They seized multiple devices from Edwards’ car, including a cell phone that allegedly contained multiple child sexual abuse images, some of which had been downloaded two weeks earlier.
The news release also said FBI agents discovered that Edwards allegedly purchased child sexual abuse material via PayPal in May 2025 and found four transactions in Edwards’ account.
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In 2014, three years after Edwards and his mother invented the squatty toilet, they appeared on “Shark Tank” asking for $350,000 for a 5% stake in the company.
They signed Greiner to a deal for $350,000 and a 10% stake in the company. The product has generated more than $300 million in sales to date, according to Greiner’s website.
The Squatty Potty is a U-shaped plastic stool designed to fit under a standard toilet. You can poop by squatting down, which helps relieve constipation.
According to an archived page on Squatty Potty’s website, the family came up with the idea for the product after Judy Edwards, who suffered from constipation and hemorrhoids, was advised by her therapist to squat while using the toilet.
Edwards, a designer and contractor at the time, created a prototype step stool and eventually began marketing and selling the product online.
Melina Khan is USA TODAY’s national trends reporter. Contact her at melina.khan@usatoday.com.
