Brisbane Beauty Pageant Boss Hits with 20 New Child Abuse Charges: Cops Uncover ‘Disturbing’ Group Chats and Luxury Lifestyle
- Former beauty pageant boss William Tan, 48, faces 20 new child abuse charges, with police alleging he ran a network promoting and encouraging child sexual abuse
- Tan, who often posed with luxury cars on social media, is accused of administering chat groups with names referencing rape and sexual violence
- Police seized phones, laptops, and storage devices from his properties, which could uncover more alleged victims and evidence
William Tan, the 48-year-old former beauty pageant operator, stood in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Friday, clad in prison greens and avoiding eye contact, as the police prosecutor read out the new wave of child abuse charges against him.
Tan, the co-founder of the Miss Oceania beauty pageant, was arrested on Sunday by Taskforce Argos detectives over 11 alleged child abuse offences. However, prosecutors presented the court with a further 20 charges, accusing him of running a child abuse network with encrypted group chats used to promote and encourage the sexual abuse of children.
In a shocking development, investigators allege Tan used multiple online identities to communicate with others around the world in what prosecutors described to the court as “disturbing and depraved” chats. The court heard details of two groups, “The Joy of Rape” and “Rough Love”, which allegedly promoted and encouraged child sexual abuse.
In one message, Tan allegedly “encouraged” a 40-year-old from the US to rape their teenage daughter and “drug them first, so they don’t remember it”. Prosecutor Harry Coburn described Tan’s alleged offending as “horrific” and “unacceptable”.
Tan’s lavish lifestyle, often showcased on social media with high-end cars, belied the dark reality of his alleged actions. Police seized a large number of phones, computers, and storage devices from his properties in Fortitude Valley and Fitzgibbon, which could uncover even more alleged victims and evidence.
Tan’s defence lawyer applied for bail, arguing that strict conditions would keep the community safe. However, Magistrate Louise Shephard disagreed, citing Tan’s “unacceptable risk” and denied him bail. The investigation remains ongoing, with detectives warning the number of charges could rise as more evidence is uncovered.
Tan is due back in court in November, facing the prospect of a lengthy prison sentence if found guilty of the alleged child abuse offences.