An Afrikaner refugee, Arno Venter, was confronted in a vigilante sting operation that has gone viral. The 28-year-old, living in Ohio, was arrested and faces 11 criminal charges involving child sexual abuse material.
The news comes after another South African, Vico du Toit, who is in the US on a work visa, was also arrested for similar charges.
Both face decades behind bars if convicted.
REFUGEE ARRESTED ON CHILD PORN CHARGES
On social media, a video of Afrikaner refugee Arno Venter being confronted by internet personality Alex Rosen, of the vigilante group Predator Poachers, has gone viral.
“He came to America in the past couple of months…He decided to bring his perversion over to our country,” Rosen told the camera.
Venter was ambushed at his place of employment – a Walmart in Cleveland, Ohio – over Rosen’s allegations that he had engaged in sexual chats with a decoy posing as a 13-year-old boy.
He was also accused of trading videos and images of babies and underage children being physically and sexually exploited by adults.
The 28-year-old confessed to both criminal offences in the video, adding that distributing the illegal material made him “feel valuable”.
He added that he had been committing the offence “for a few years”.
Venter was later arrested and faces 11 criminal charges involving child sexual abuse material.
A US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson confirmed Venter’s arrest, labelling him “a criminal alien from South Africa”.
If convicted, Venter – who arrived in the US four months ago under the refugee programme – could face a maximum sentence of over 80 years in prison.
Venter hails from Gauteng and was resettled in Ohio along with his siblings. It’s unclear how his application passed the system’s rigorous background and safety checks.
His pre-trial hearing is scheduled for 3 November.
ANOTHER SOUTH AFRICAN ARRESTED
Meanwhile, another South African man, Vico du Toit, has been arrested in Oklahoma on child porn charges.
The man, who is not a refugee but is in the US on a work visa, faces eight counts of possession of child sexual abuse material and one count of violating state law through the use of a computer.
He is accused of uploading and posting the material on his computer
According to reports, he is being held on a $500,000 (R8,3 million) bond and is also expected to appear in court in November.
A 42-year-old South African man, Vico DuToit, has been arrested in Oklahoma, USA, where he was living on a work visa.
Authorities allege he uploaded and shared child sexual abuse material via Kik after a tip to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.
He reportedly… pic.twitter.com/igDz8Fdysl— Bianca van Wyk (@BiancavanWyk16) October 27, 2026
