Malaysia had him on bail for child abuse. The US had other plans
Zobaidul Amin allegedly told victims the police would never find him. He was living in Malaysia, after all. Then the FBI put him on a plane
The transfer followed years of cooperation between US and Malaysian authorities after Amin was first arrested in Malaysia in September 2022, during a joint investigation involving the US Federal Bureau of Investigation and Royal Malaysia Police. A US federal grand jury had already indicted Amin two months earlier, in July 2022, meaning he was a wanted man when Malaysian police moved on him.
Malaysian media reported that the suspect had been living in the country while studying medicine when police detained and later charged him locally with child pornography offences at the Sessions Court in Seremban. At that court appearance, Amin pleaded not guilty to multiple charges related to the production and possession of child sexual abuse material, according to Malaysian news outlet Sinar Harian.
The court granted him bail under strict conditions, including monthly reporting to the police and a prohibition on contacting victims or witnesses. His trial was still under way as recently as November 2024, when a scheduled hearing was postponed for prosecution review.
Malaysian state news agency Bernama reported that authorities had been working with US counterparts since his arrest as part of an international investigation into alleged online exploitation.
His extradition on Wednesday is illegal
Amin’s defence lawyer has since criticised the circumstances of his removal from Malaysia, questioning whether the handover was carried out lawfully.