VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – A Dutch man accused of tormenting a Port Coquitlam teen online before she took her own life nearly 10 years ago has been extradited to Canada to face charges in B.C.
The B.C. Prosecution Service says Aydin Coban made his first court appearance on Dec. 8, 2020, but it only became public on Friday.
The man accused of tormenting Amanda Todd online before the Port Coquitlam teen took her own life in 2012 has been extradited to Canada. @BCProsecution says Aydin Coban is in custody ahead of next court appearance on February 12th. More on @NEWS1130.
— Monika Gul (@MonikaGul) February 5, 2021
Coban is charged with extortion, possession of child pornography, communication with a young person to commit a sexual offence and criminal harassment. The 42-year-old was charged back in 2014, two years after Todd took her own life.
Back in 2017, Coban was sentenced to 11 years in prison for the Netherlands for fraud and blackmail. Those charges were in relation to incidents of cyberbullying involving dozens of other young girls as well as gay men.
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‘It has been a long road’: mother hopes her daughter’s alleged online tormentor brought to justice in B.C.
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‘Many parents have lost their children’: Amanda Todd’s mom 6 years after her death
The 15-year-old left behind a YouTube video, in which she uses flash cards to describe how she had been blackmailed by someone online and became depressed in the aftermath.
Coban remains in custody.
Amanda’s mom Carol says news that Coban was in B.C. “rocked her” when she was first told in December.
But she is hopeful a trial will resulting Coban being held accountable.
“In the middle of all this, Amanda’s legacy was has raised awareness, bringing hope, and that’s the important part for me.”
With files from Miranda Fatur
