Hidden True Crime - Squatty Potty to Child Predator?! — A Shark Tank Story Takes a DARK Turn | Bobby Edwards Case

Episode Date: March 28, 2026

A viral unicorn… a Shark Tank success story… and now, federal allegations that are anything but whimsical. In this episode of Hidden True Crime, Lauren unpacks the shocking case against Robert “Bobby” Edwards—the co-creator of Squatty Potty—who has been indicted on charges involving children. From the FBI’s multi-year investigation and disturbing digital evidence, to the strange and unexpected connections tying this story to broader Utah-based media, belief systems, and figures like those behind Sound of Freedom, this case takes a dark turn no one saw coming. Tim Ballard Playlist Sponsor: Get 15% off OneSkin with the code hidden at https://www.oneskin.co/hidden #oneskinpod About Hidden True Crime What started as a simple conversation at their dinner table became a captivating podcast. Join the dynamic duo of Dr. John Matthias, a criminal psychologist, and Lauren Matthias, an investigative journalist, as they delve into the psychological facets of unthinkable crimes every week. Their unique perspectives and in-depth analysis offer a fresh take on true crime storytelling. Thank you for your support through sponsorships, subscribing, listening, and becoming a Patreon member at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/HiddenTrueCrime⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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A creamy poop of a mystic unicorn. And behind that bright rainbow-colored mascot named Duky, and an advertisement many of us watched years ago, at least 40 million of us watched it, there are federal allegations that are anything but whimsical or silly. My name is Lori Matthias, and this is hidden true crime. Robert, aka Bobby Edwards, the 50,000, words. The 50-year-old Southern Utah entrepreneur from Ivan's Utah co-created the Squatty Potty.

Yes, it's the same man who appeared on Shark Tank, along with the story of helping his mom with constipation. It's a constipation story that turned into free-flowing wealth. There's something about you that I'm not believing. Ooh, I'm the most trustworthy person. No, I trust you're hopping and weaving a lot, I feel, and it's making me more nervous as I listen. I'm definitely out. Bobby gets a little excited. I get excited.

He's very trustworthy. I'm just coming back and forth. Well, that same man is now sitting in jail, indicted by a federal grand jury on a charge of receipt of child sexual abuse materials, which we will refer to as CCM for the rest of this episode. And what investigators allege is disturbing. According to recently unsealed court documents, the FBI began investigating Bobby Edwards back in 2021, so five years ago. An agent, according to charging docs, infiltrated a group chat that prosecutors say was being used for trading CSAM. During one session, the agent entered a Zoom meeting where participants were allegedly watching CSAM videos together. Yes, together.

Prosecutors say Edwards appeared on camera during that session, like his face on camera. Investigators linked him to the Zoom account through IP data, placing him in Puerto Vialta, Mexico at the time. They also reportedly compared photos of Bobby Edwards to the Zoom profile image and live video. So then in May, PayPal flagged for Transcendant, actions connected to Edwards as potentially related to CSAM. Those payments allegedly went to a UK man named John Carver. And well, John Carver was later arrested and convicted for distributing CSAM and even more, blackmailing buyers, buyers like Edwards. Prosecutors alleged Carver would

advertise the illicit content on telegram, send a PayPal payment link and then provide access to files. Sometimes even distributing content via Zoom meetings. When law enforcement searched Edwards' home in November 2025, agents seized a cell phone from his vehicle, which contained multiple videos and images of CSAM, some of which downloaded onto Edwards' cell phone just two weeks before the search warrant was executed. So at Edwards' residence, law enforcement seized additional devices and found additional. CSAM Biles. Edwards has pleaded not guilty. And according to prosecutors, he told agents he had no recollection of viewing CSAM. He also reportedly told authorities he struggled with methamphetamine

addiction and told investigators he was living off Bitcoin and proceeds from the sale of his business. That would be the sale of Squatty Potty. But according to an article in the Salt Lake City Tribune, which I'll link in the description of this episode, Salt Lake Tribune, Edwards allegedly wrote, here we're ready for this, quote, hey brother, I'd love to purve, but into most all, just not into babies. Five plus is preferred, end quote. That makes me sick, just reading that. What is wrong with people? This is not his first legal issue, by the way, in November December, 23, Edwards pleaded guilty to an unrelated Utah felony drug case and signed up for private probation supervision. Now, here's where the story becomes even more well. I don't know how to

like say this. Utah connected, connected to some other stories we've covered. So Edwards co-founded Squatty Potty in the early 2010s, right? The brand exploded after landing that Shark Tank deal in 2014. But it truly went viral in 2015 when that now iconic commercial featuring that smooth-talking rainbow-maned unicorn famously nicknamed Doogie was released. It racked up more than 40 million views on YouTube showing Doogie magically pooping rainbow soft serve thanks to the squatty-potty technique followed by Doogie's bowel movement being scooped into cones and handed to children to enjoy. It was ridiculous. It was disgusting and delightful. Duky became a stuffed toy that you could buy.

And Bed, Bath, and Beyond became one of the leading retailers to carry the Squatty Potty. Introducing the Squatty Potty. No, Squatty Potty is not a joke. And yes, it will give you the best poop of your life, guaranteed. Well, that advertisement, that famous ad, was created by the Harmon Brothers. They are a Provo, Utah-based advertising firm known for really quirky, often viral campaigns. They are the creative force behind major commercials for brands like Poo-Pri and Loomi. So the Harmon brothers, Jeffrey Harmon, Daniel Harmon, and Neil Harmon are also owners of Angel Studios,

formerly known as Vid Angel, which would censor scenes and movies to make them more family-friendly. But today, they're known. as Angel Studios. And one of the films they are most known for is Sound of Freedom. Yes, Angel Studios Sound of Freedom. The film, Sound of Freedom, is centered on Tim Ballard and his work fighting human trafficking through his nonprofit Operation Underground Railroad. Now, Sound of Freedom has been incredibly polarizing. If you know, you know. Some people see it as raising awareness about human trafficking and portraying Ballard as a hero. Others have criticized the film questioning how accurately it reflects real events, some saying it's simply just not true. We have a Tim Ballard

playlist by the way, a full Tim Ballard playlist because we want to lay this all out. But what's complicated and why this connection stands out is what's happened since the Sound of Freedom came out. Because in recent lawsuits, Tim Ballard is accused of serious misconduct, right? These are allegations. They've not been proven in court, but they paint a very different picture of Tim Ballard than the one Angel Studios and the Harmon Brothers presents in the film Sound of Freedom. And it is a article that came out in the New York Times. The article is titled, To the World, he is an anti-trafficking hero. Women tell a different story. And for those that are familiar, with our work on Tim Ballard. Brian is going to bring additional insight

for those that are familiar to our work with the Lori Valo and Chad Daybale case to those that are familiar with our work with the Ruby Frankie, Jody Hildebrand case in those that are familiar with our deep dive into the book, Visions of Glory, among those in the LDS Prepper world

will be familiar with this interview. And for those that are not familiar with these discussions or these cases that we have talked about, you are in the right place. I'm going to give a brief background right here. The New York Times article that came out yesterday. And by yesterday, I mean September 9th, 2024. This is September 10th, 2024 that we are doing this recording. Let me read to you the beginning of this article.

To the world, he is an anti-trafficking hero. Women tell a different story. Tim Ballard's work on sex trafficking became the basis of the hit movie Sound of Freedom, but a series of women in lawsuits and interviews have accused him of being a citizen. We have shared that lawsuit on our Patreon account, patreon.com slash hidden due crime, and have gone over in depth in previous episodes. Please check out our playlist. Tim Ballard has fashioned himself into a made-for-Hollywood hero.

For years, he led a nonprofit that proclaimed daring undercover missions to rescue children from the horrors of international trafficking. Politicians embraced his call for more barriers on the southern border to block smuggling. Last year, the hit movie Sound of Freedom showcased his life and work, making more than 250 million and becoming one of the most successful independent films of all time. But while the world knew Tim Ballard as a champion of the vulnerable, many of the women he worked with now tell a much darker story that Mr. Ballad himself was grooming, manipulating, harassing, and suffering women. lawsuits beginning last year. The women said that Mr. Ballard prayed on their desire to help victims coercing and forcing them into counters as part of their undercover work in brothels, strip clubs, and massage parlors. One of the women suing the former CEO of Operation Underground

Railroad says the Utah County Sheriff's Office is holding on to key evidence. Celeste Boris was the former assistant to Tim Ballard. Now, she's accusing him of her while working on what he calls the couple's ruse. In a new filing, her lawyers claim to have a skirt of hers with Ballard's on it. Ballard denies anything sexual happened between them, but the new filing claims Utah County detectives matched the DNA on the skirt to Ballard. The lawsuits allege sexual misconduct, assault, manipulation, and something referred to as

the couple's ruse that Tim Ballard is part of. They also claim that Tim used religious language and beliefs to influence control and abuse women. Women in the lawsuit alleged Tim Ballard is no hero. Far from. And they claim he painted himself as an anti-trafficking hero to manipulate and assault them. Tim Ballard has denied wrongdoing. But the allegations go even further into a belief system that may sound familiar to those of you who followed the Chad Daybell case. We've talked before about why one skin really stands out as a skincare company, not as hype or just

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So according to the lawsuits, Ballard had close ties to the book Visions of Glory. and its author Tom Harrison. Now, Hidden True Crime has also spoken out a lot about this book and Tom Harrison and the connection to many crimes we've covered here. And so the lawsuit, the filings claim that Tim Ballard received recorded blessings from Tom Harrison suggesting that Tim Ballard had a divine role in future events, potentially even political leadership. And that Tim Ballard and Tom Harrison, they framed Tim's actions as part of a larger spiritual mission during the second coming of Christ. There are also allegations that Tim told some of the women in the lawsuit that they were married to him in past lives, something we've heard before

in cases like Chad Debao. It's like deja vu. And that's where this starts to overlap with sort of this broader subculture that we've talked about a lot on this channel before. A fringe, visionary space within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or El LDS culture that focuses heavily on end times beliefs, prepping, prepping for those end times, near-death experiences that become visions for future events, and the idea that certain individuals have a special role to play in what's coming. It's a space where Chad Daybell operated, and according to these allegations, it's a space Tim Ballard was also moving in for years. Visions of glory takes readers through what will happen before the second coming of Christ,

like tribulations, tragedy, destruction. And this traumatic time period also includes portals, people becoming translated, tent cities, evil spirits entering bodies, knowing different people from past lives that the other has lived being possessed by evil spirits and get this how some people are so evil that they will be better off being killed before Christ comes again. And again, the book is based on the visions of Spencer or Tom Harrison because Tom Harrison had these multiple near-death experiences. Thus, this means that Spencer can now see visions of the future. Spencer, Tom Harrison, Tom Harrison, same, same.

So the readership for this book is actually quite large and has a bit of a cult following. Even still today, around this time, period, it was being promoted by conservative political commenter Glenn Beck and being read and shared by Tim Ballard. Tim Ballard was the man who was a subject of the movie Sound of Freedom. So now, bringing this back, there are no allegations at all against the Harmon Brothers or Angel Studios in connection with Bobby Edwards of the Squatty Potty fame. None at all. The connection here, though, is historical and commercial. They created the viral Squatty Potty ad that helped launch the brand into massive success. And this does highlight how interconnected

certain Utah-based companies, media, and personalities can be, and how overlapping themes and belief systems can show up across very different stories. Angel Studios continues to stand by and promote their movie Sound of Freedom, even as these allegations surrounding Tim Ballard have surfaced and he's been excommunicated from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. But that set the stage for what the vision for Tim was to be, which was to become a household name in evangelical Christianity, an American hero that would reflect well on the Mormon church as an ambassador for the Church of Jesus Christ, Lattery of Saints. And that was kind of the vision.

So when Sound of Freedom movie came out, I was like, dang, they got it done. They figured it out. They got him into hero status in evangelical America through this movie. The Harmon Brothers, through Angel Studios, they also recently released a documentary called After Death, which explores near-death experiences. another theme that overlaps with this belief system we've seen in cases like Chad Daybell, Jolie Hildebrand, Ruby Frankie, Tim Ballard, and others connected to the book Visions of Glory. And I'll be honest, that timing of the release of that film and those themes with Angel Studios,

it's unsettling to me, given what we know now. But again, there is no connection between the Harmon Brothers or Angel Studios and the crimes of Bobby Edwards. words that he's accused of. I want to be clear about that. And hey, credit where credit is due, the Harmon Brothers make really good commercials. And the Squatty Potty commercial could be their very best. In 2021, Squatty Potty was acquired by Eterian Inc for $19 million. The company reports more than 8 million potty stools sold as of 2022. And the Squatty Potty Company did release a statement after the arrest of Bobby Edwards. It states, Squatty Potty, a brand owned by 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. 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, and he 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 brands present or future. Acheerian remains committed to the

mission of Squatty Potty, improving digestive health for our consumers. So, I guess that means that there is no need to throw away your Squatty Potty if you're a fan because Edwards no longer owns it, although it does certainly add an unpleasant stench to the once proud Southern Utah Born Company along with an endearing mom and son origin story. But not even the unicorn seems to be part of the website anymore, although Duky does play a part online on YouTube and other marketing areas. But now, here is something a bit more personal and probably the biggest reason I felt compelled to cover this story. Years ago, when I was working as a television reporter, I interviewed Bobby Edwards for a future At the time, he was known as that innovative Utah entrepreneur behind a viral brand success story.

That's part of what makes stories like this honestly so disorienting. Honestly, I remember both his mother and Bobby as kind. His mom, though, was a lot more talkative and open. Bobby was quiet. Came off honestly a bit more cynical. I chalked it up to perhaps being more private or maybe simply not wanting to be there doing the interview with me. But either way, I did get sort of this cynic vibe from Bobby. I can't recall if his mom was remodeling or building a new home, but I do remember talking with her about which

style of squatty potty she was going to use in her fresh bathrooms. She was very friendly. Bobby, quiet and less enthusiastic. And look, maybe he was just more private, but certainly seemed less trusting than his mom seemed to be of me. But the one thing I were going to be, call about Bobby was his not being too happy about his deal with Lori from Shark Tank. While shark investor Barbara didn't trust him, Lori did. And they made a deal on that episode. Actually, we're going to take Lori's offer. There you go. Great. I think I know it helps a lot of people. I do know that. I know that this really works. Well, I recall that after I brought up that Shark Tank deal to Bobby, he explained that, yeah, Lori had some decent involvement in the brand and a good share,

and he didn't seem too thrilled. Anyway, the interview went well, and overall, it was a pleasant visit. We snapped this pick. You meet someone in one context, you see the public persona, and then years later, federal allegations surface that forced you to re-examine everything. You just never know what might lie hidden, even beneath a shark tank success story. A detention hearing took place for Edwards on March 2, 26, earlier this month in the U.S. District courthouse in St. George, Utah. It's the same courthouse where Jody Hildebrand and Ruby Frankie were sentenced. And Edwards remains in custody at the Washington County Jail in St. George.

This is an indictment, not a conviction. but the allegations are serious, far more serious than the unicorn that made us laugh, far more serious than a lighthearted interview I had with Bobby Edwards years ago. He even gifted me a stuffed unicorn. So we will continue following this case carefully and factually. It certainly has disoriented me, which is why I knew that hidden true crime had to let you know about this one because sometimes the most unsettling stories are the ones hiding behind something that once made us laugh. And now, in hindsight, make a second guess everything. Before I switched

to wealth front, my APY was probably zero point one. Like, it was a joke. I was literally getting pennies. Once I switched to chiching, with a wealthfront cash account earn up to 4.2% APY on your cash. The high APY with Wellfront was a clear winner. There are no petty fees. Every month, there's this much that I'm getting an interest and I didn't have to do anything. My money is working hard on its own and I can trust Wellfront is taking care of me. Earn more on your uninvested cash with a Wealthfront cash account. No account fees, no minimums, and no strings attached. Get started today at Wealthfront.com.

Clients were paid $1,000 for their testimonials creating a conflict of interest. Outcomes vary. 3.3%. Base API as of January 30th, 2026 is representative variable and earned on funds swept to program banks. 0.65% new client boosts for three months on up to $150,000. Direct deposit $1,000 a month and fund an investing account for a 0.25% increase. Cash account offered by Wealthfront Brokerage LLC member FINRA SIPC, not a bank. Fees and eligibility requirements may apply to certain checking features of the cash account.