A metro Atlanta pediatric dentist has been slapped with child pornography charges by the FBI, according to reports. Dr. Paul Bogeun Kim, 30, found himself behind bars after a federal probe unearthed illicit material in his residence on December 19, 2023. FOX 5 Atlanta indicated that Kim was arrested as a consequence of an FBI operation targeting an online commercial sex ring preying on female minors.
The operation, spearheaded by the FBI's Child Exploitation Operations Unit, unraveled a sinister scheme where blackmail was employed to coerce teens into degrading acts, with the transactions conducted clandestinely using Bitcoin. A particular Bitcoin address linked to the purchase of three child pornography files valued at roughly $249 led investigators straight to Kim's doorstep in Atlanta.
During the raid, federal agents discovered at least one video characterized as child sexual abuse material. Atlanta News First reported that Kim confessed to buying the material using cryptocurrency through a Coinbase account on his phone. Despite his assertion that he believed the victim was of age, the feds determined that she was just 15 at the time of their first interview.
Kim, who worked in pediatric dental practices across Austell, Dunwoody, and Cumming, has since been granted a bond of $100,000 by a federal judge. The conditions of his bond are notably severe: he is confined to his home without internet access or the allowance to be in the presence of children. Meanwhile, the FBI has alerted the state's dental licensing board of the disturbing findings.
As the investigation plugins on, the FBI urges anyone with pertinent information about Kim's case to come forward by calling the bureau’s tip line at 1-800-225-5324 or submitting a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
