A 20-year-old Indiana University student is accused of using online messaging apps to try to trade dozens of videos showing child sexual abuse, activity that investigators say traced straight back to IU’s own internet network. Authorities identified the student as Ashwin Vishwanath Veerappan. He was arrested in Bloomington on Feb. 22 and is now facing felony child exploitation charges in Monroe County.
The case kicked off in April 2025 when an undercover Minnesota investigator who monitors apps known for sharing illegal material encountered a Kik user calling himself "AshVpn," who allegedly requested child sexual abuse content, according to WTHR. Court records say the undercover officer received files and later used a tracking link that pointed to an IP address assigned to Indiana University, which brought IU police into the investigation. Prosecutors say later exchanges were tied to a Verizon IP address that investigators connected to the suspect’s family records.
Kik’s parent company reportedly flagged the account after more than two dozen files were uploaded and generated a CyberTip that pulled the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force into the mix, according to WDRB. From there, detectives leaned on account details, internet service provider data and subpoenas to follow the breadcrumbs from online usernames to university systems and then to family accounts in New Jersey.
Investigators say they ultimately matched a Verizon account for a Plainsboro, New Jersey, address and a phone number linked to the student, then watched as the suspect left class and returned to an apartment in IU’s HUB complex in the 2000 block of North Walnut Street, according to court filings. He was taken into custody on Feb. 22 and initially booked on dozens of preliminary counts before prosecutors narrowed the case to three felony child exploitation charges, WTHR reported. Online court records show he was released the same day on a $25,000 surety bond.
Charges and next steps
Monroe County prosecutors formally filed three felony counts tied to child exploitation, and an initial court appearance was scheduled for Feb. 27, according to WDRB. That filing reflects the charges the state chose to pursue after combing through the undercover chats, IP logs and digital evidence from the months-long probe.
How referrals and cybertips work
Cases like this often do not start with a local cop but with a platform alert. Tech companies are required to flag suspected child sexual abuse material and submit CyberTips to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, which then routes leads to state Internet Crimes Against Children task forces. In Indiana, the ICAC task force vets those tips, coordinates with local agencies and helps handle forensic work and prosecutions. More details are available through Indiana ICAC.
Law enforcement asks that anyone who has information related to this case or who encounters suspected child sexual abuse material online avoid sharing the content, preserve any evidence and report it either to local police or through NCMEC’s CyberTipline. The organization also offers support resources for victims and families. Learn more at NCMEC.
