Wealthy Sydney Schoolboy Accused of Horrific Online Crimes
A 20-year-old former private school student from an affluent Sydney family has been charged with multiple offences relating to the creation and distribution of child abuse material through encrypted messaging platforms.
Ethan Ungerboeck was arrested at his parents' multi-million dollar Maroubra mansion in December following an extensive investigation by the Australian Federal Police into online networks trading illegal content.
Mounting Charges and Court Appearance
The Scots College alumnus initially faced a single charge of possessing child abuse material, but the Daily Mail can reveal he has since been hit with 16 additional charges largely concerning the production and distribution of abusive content.
On Tuesday, Ungerboeck appeared surprisingly relaxed as he entered Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court with his lawyer for a charge certification hearing. He smiled briefly while Magistrate Susan Horan informed him he would need to enter a plea at the next court mention scheduled for February 3.
Magistrate Horan approved the prosecution's request to apply existing bail conditions to all 17 charges, which include multiple counts of possessing, producing and distributing child abuse material using carriage services.
Disturbing Content Timeline Revealed
Court documents obtained by the Daily Mail paint a disturbing picture of Ungerboeck's alleged activities. He reportedly began storing bestiality and animal torture content on his personal devices from his 18th birthday in May 2023.
The allegations suggest he started producing his own child abuse material around September 2024 and was allegedly sharing this content on Telegram with users including 'og asa', 'ArchivistofArchives' and 'oy bootes'.
In a particularly grim development, Ungerboeck allegedly sent a video to another Telegram user in October 2024 showing a person taking their own life with a firearm. By September 2024, he was reportedly sharing 'animal crush' material through the messaging service.
Police allege the illegal content was stored on his Deepcool computer tower and HP laptop, accessed via his mobile phone.
Strict Bail Conditions Imposed
Ungerboeck remains on conditional bail at his parents' $6 million Maroubra property with significant restrictions on his movements and activities.
He is banned from leaving the mansion without one of his parents as an escort and must present at the front door when police arrive for curfew checks or drug and alcohol tests, which can occur daily.
Additional conditions prohibit alcohol consumption, drug use, and access to gaming platforms. Police retain the right to enter the family home and inspect his devices to ensure compliance. He is also forbidden from being in the company of anyone under 18 without adult supervision.
Broader Investigation Context
Ungerboeck's arrest forms part of a wider AFP investigation into decentralised crime networks that target children through eating disorder forums and gaming platforms like Roblox.
AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett recently described these groups as 'crimefluencers' who force victims to share sexual images, self-harm, commit violent acts against siblings, and even kill their pets.
'To be accepted into these networks, perpetrators often have to pass tests involving providing videos of self-harm or other gory content,' Commissioner Barrett explained in a National Press Club address.
The full list of charges against Ungerboeck includes multiple counts related to child abuse material, bestiality content, and animal crush material, highlighting the serious nature of the allegations facing the former private school student.
