Who is Robert Edwards? 5 things to know about Squatty Potty co-founder arrested in child porn case
Robert “Bobby” Edwards, Co-Founder, Bath Products Company squat potty, A man has been charged with receiving child pornography in Utah, federal prosecutors said Wednesday.
According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office Utah Edwards, 50, of Ivins, Utah, was indicted by a grand jury on February 10 and arrested two days later. He has pleaded not guilty and is being held until a detention hearing scheduled for March 2.
Who is Robert “Bobby” Edwards? 5 things to know
1. Staring at Squatty Potty with the family
According to the Washington County Historical Society, Edwards was one of the founders of the Squatty Potty Company. He founded the company in 2011 with his mother, father and brother. The idea for the product came about after a doctor suggested his mother use a footstool to elevate her knees when going to the toilet to help relieve constipation.
2. They appear on TV shows
In 2012, the Edwards family appeared on the TV show “The Doctors” to promote The Squatty Potty: a curved foot support designed to fit under the toilet seat. Two years later, they pitched it on ABC’s “Shark Tank” and landed a deal with one of the investors.
3. Selling the company in 2021
In 2021, the Edwards family sold the company to Aterian, Inc. The company said the deal was a one-time deal and it no longer has any connection with Robert Edwards. The company also removed past references to the Edwards family from its website following the lawsuit.
4. The company’s valuation in 2020 is US$175 million
Within three months of Shark Tank’s debut, the company’s sales reached $12.3 million. A 2020 “Shark Tank” update stated that the business was valued at $175 million.
5. No longer part of Squatty Potty
Aterian said it was troubled by the accusations. The company also said Edwards was not an employee, partner or stakeholder and said any suggestion of an ongoing relationship with him was false.
Also read: US millionaire entrepreneur arrested in Utah for buying, receiving child sex abuse material
Investigation details
Prosecutors said Edwards knowingly received several images of child sexual abuse material between March 2021 and November 2025, Fox News reported. In March 2021, an undercover FBI agent joined an online meeting room where people were watching videos of child sexual abuse material on a shared screen.
“Meeting participants were visible, including a user later identified as Edwards,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
May 2025, FBI Agents reportedly discovered that Edwards used his PayPal account to purchase additional child sexual abuse material. On November 4, 2025, police conducted a search warrant at his home. Investigators said they found a cellphone in his car that “contained multiple videos and images of child sexual abuse material, some of which had been downloaded to the phone two weeks before the search warrant was executed.” They also allegedly found more such material inside the house.
Edwards has pleaded not guilty and is being held by the U.S. Marshals Service until a detention hearing.
