Canadian drummer arrested on child sexual abuse material charges
Joseph Seiders, drummer for Canadian indie rock band The New Pornographers, has been arrested and charged with possessing child sex abuse materials, authorities said.
Seiders, 44, is accused of recording young boys with his phone at a Chick-fil-A restaurant bathroom in Palm Desert, California, according to the local sheriff's department. The city of about 50,000 is in the Coachella Valley.
Law enforcement responded to a report April 7 of suspicious activity at the fast food restaurant. An 11-year-old boy told them a man recorded him while he was using the bathroom there.
Two days later, officers received another report at Chick-fil-A and took Seiders into custody. They searched his home and found evidence connecting him to the two incidents. His charges include possession of child sex abuse materials, molesting a child, and invasion of privacy, the sheriff's department said.
The Riverside County Public Defender's Office declined to comment on Seiders' behalf.
Authorities believe there may be more victims and are still investigating.
The New Pornographers said it has immediately severed ties with Seiders, who joined the band in 2014, in a post on Instagram.
"Everyone in the band is absolutely shocked, horrified and devastated by the news of the charges against Joe Seiders,' the post said. – AP
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
23 minutes ago
- New Straits Times
Prosecutors seek trial for PSG's Hakimi over rape charge
NANTERRE, France: French prosecutors on Friday called for Paris Saint-Germain star Achraf Hakimi to face trial for the alleged rape of a woman in 2023 which the Moroccan international denies. The Nanterre prosecutor's office told AFP that they had requested that the investigating judge refer the rape charge to a criminal court. "It is now up to the investigating magistrate to make a decision within the framework of his order," the prosecutor's office told AFP in a statement. Hakimi, 26, played a major role in PSG's run to their first Champions League title, the full-back scoring the opener in the 5-0 rout of Inter Milan in the final in May. Hakimi, who helped Morocco to their historic progress to the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup, was charged in March, 2023 with raping a 24-year-old woman. Hakimi allegedly paid for his accuser to travel to his home on 25 Feb, 2023, in the Paris suburb of Boulogne-Billancourt while his wife and children were away on holiday. The woman went to a police station following the encounter alleging rape and was questioned by police. Although the woman refused to make a formal accusation, prosecutors decided to press charges against the player. She told police at the time that she had met Hakimi in January 2023 on Instagram. On the night in question she said she had travelled to his house in a taxi paid for by Hakimi. She told police Hakimi had started kissing her and making non-consensual sexual advances, before raping her, a police source told AFP at the time. She said she managed to break free to text a friend who came to pick her up. Contacted by AFP after Friday's development Hakimi's lawyer Fanny Colin described the call by prosecutors for a trial as "incomprehensible and senseless in light of the case's elements." "We, along with Achraf Hakimi, remain as calm as we were at the start of the proceedings. "If these requisitions were to be followed, we would obviously pursue all avenues of appeal," she continued. According to Colin, her client had "been the target of an attempted extortion." "Nothing in this case suggests an attempted extortion," Rachel-Flore Pardo, the lawyer representing the woman, said. "My client welcomes this news with immense relief," she told AFP. "We will not tolerate any smear or destabilisation campaign, as is unfortunately still too often the case for women who have the courage to report the rape of which they are victims," she added. The son of a cleaning lady and a street vendor, both Moroccans who have lived in Spain since the 1980s, Hakimi was born in Getafe, a southern suburb of Madrid. Hakimi came through the youth system at Real Madrid before joining Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund in 2018. He went on to make 73 appearances for the German club. He moved to Inter Milan in 2020 and then on to PSG in 2021 where he has established himself as an integral part of the team. In Qatar, Hakimi was a cornerstone of the Morocco team that became the first African or Arab nation to reach the semi-finals of a World Cup.--AFP
Sinar Daily
16 hours ago
- Sinar Daily
Explainer: Afiza Awang's family's fight for justice
SHAH ALAM - A deeply emotional family dispute has captured national attention after viral social media posts revealed disturbing claims that a former flight attendant, Afiza Awang, was isolated for nearly a decade. Afiza was allegedly mistreated by her husband and had her retirement savings drained without her knowledge. As her daughter and son-in-law stepped forward with video evidence and pleas to the public, the story has triggered outrage, legal questions and a broader discussion on the rights of women, caregivers and persons with disabilities (PwD) in Malaysia. A mother, forgotten and found On July 29, 50-year-old Afiza, a former Malaysia Airlines flight attendant, was reported missing by her daughter Ain Nurzaheera Zahirudin and son-in-law Omar Rizal. Ain said her mother was taken from a private nursing home earlier that morning by her estranged husband — Ain's father — without warning. Afiza, a stroke survivor and registered PwD, had been placed in the nursing facility around 2015, when she was just 40 years old. Family members claimed she was cut off from communication, visits and support for nearly a decade. 'She is 50, mentally sound, but has been isolated since 2015. No phone, no visitors, no freedom,' Ain wrote in an Instagram post that went viral. Afiza allegedly faced a decade of isolation, mistreatment by her husband and the loss of her retirement savings without her knowledge. - Photo: Instagram / Omar Rizal EPF savings emptied without her knowledge Adding to the family's concern was the alarming discovery that Afiza's Employees Provident Fund (EPF) account had been emptied since 2016. Her son-in-law Omar learned of this when he visited the EPF office in Petaling Jaya ahead of her 50th birthday on Aug 1, the age at which she was eligible to withdraw the funds. The family feared the savings might have been misused and wanted to act fast. But it was too late. Omar was shocked to find that the account balance had long since hit zero. 'Her KWSP funds could be misused. We have less than 48 hours to act,' Omar said in a video posted on July 30. Because Afiza was classified as PwD, there were no age restrictions for her withdrawals — making the timing of the previous withdrawals a red flag. Reunion after years apart — 'We will not stop' In a video posted on Instagram by her daughter Ain, Afiza is seen emotionally reuniting with her children; a moment of raw humanity after years of estrangement. 'We have no idea where she is now and we are really worried about her safety,' she wrote. She added that her father had taken Afiza from the care centre shortly after the reunion. 'My father took my mother from the care home this morning. Please help spread this. Justice will come. We will not stop,' she said. Mentally sound, physically disabled, but silenced for years Despite suffering from a stroke, Afiza's mental faculties were fully intact, according to both her children and video footage shared online. 'She is only physically disabled. She can think and speak clearly. We have videos to prove that she's mentally sound,' Ain said. In one clip, Afiza expressed confusion about her finances and assets. 'I do not even know where my money is,' she said. Ain's escape and vow to fight for her mother Critics questioned why Ain had waited until 2024 to take action. Her answer? 'I was born in 2005, I managed to escape my father's house last year at the age of 19,' she said in an Instagram video. In the video explanation, she shared how she lived under strict control and trauma until completing her Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) exams. It was then, she said, that her mother encouraged her to leave — not to look back. 'I promised my mum I would return to her. Now I am fighting to make sure she is never trapped again,' she stressed. Allegations of abuse and coerced polygamy Videos and statements by the family alleged that Afiza was not just emotionally abandoned — she was also subjected to abuse and coercion. Omar claimed her husband instructed the care home not to reveal Afiza's presence to callers. Afiza herself stated that her husband tried to force her into accepting his second marriage. 'I did not want to sign the polygamy papers, but I was taken to the religious department and forced to sign,' she claimed. She said she was punished with complete isolation after that. Negotiations begin behind the scenes In the latest development earlier today, Omar posted an update indicating a possible turning point. 'Dad has approached us through a middleman — Ain's cousin — requesting a meeting to negotiate a resolution. He is proposing that both sides find a fair and just outcome, on the condition that I take down the videos and photos. 'I will remove the videos and photos for the sake of mummy (Afiza) and greater good. If mummy is happy with my offers and dad is also happy, it will be announced and all legal actions will be taken to enforce and uphold this agreement. 'Thank you for your support, Malaysia. Because of you, this is possible,' he wrote.
New Straits Times
a day ago
- New Straits Times
Novi Pazar says delegation attacked in Poland before Conference League tie
SERBIAN club Novi Pazar said some members of their delegation were attacked by a group of masked men outside a restaurant the night before Thursday's second leg of their Conference League qualifier at Polish side Jagiellonia Bialystok. About 15 men in balaclava masks moved towards the delegation when they were leaving a restaurant in central Bialystok, which caused them to retreat and call the police, Novi Pazar said in an Instagram post on Thursday. The delegation said they were later attacked by a group of 30 people in masks when they tried to get into a vehicle, the club said in a statement. "We would like to point out that our members were not wearing any club insignia ... Only thanks to the composure of those present and, at that moment, the professional reaction of the police officers, serious incidents were avoided," they added. "The Novi Pazar Football Club expresses its deep concern for the safety of its members and its indignation at the slow reaction of the local police." A police spokesperson said they had intervened during the incident but had no information about anyone being attacked. "The police intervened in response to a request from guests from Serbia, who later returned to the hotel. We currently have no information that anyone was attacked," Tomasz Krupa, a press officer in the provincial police, wrote in an email to Reuters. "We take every report we receive very seriously. We are currently establishing all the circumstances." Novi Pazar said they would not attend a pre-match joint lunch, planned for Thursday according to UEFA protocol, due to the incident the previous night. "NO FINDINGS" Jagiellonia said later on Thursday that they had no information regarding the reported incident. "We were greatly surprised by the statement published by FK Novi Pazar, which contains information about an alleged attack on members of the club delegation staying in Bialystok," the Polish club said in a statement. "At this point, no findings known to us confirm this incident. ."..we urge everyone to communicate responsibly and refrain from making unfounded accusations. Such actions do not serve football or the spirit of fair play that should accompany European competitions." UEFA were not immediately available for comment. Novi Pazar, who lost the home leg 2-1 last week, have travelled to Poland with a large delegation including players, staff, management, sponsors and friends of the club. "We also hereby ask all supporters and fans of the club who will attend tonight's match individually not to wear club insignia, in order to avoid any kind of incident and maintain the safety of all those present," Novi Pazar added. Polish media reported last week that hundreds of Novi Pazar fans gathered in front of the hotel where the Jagiellonia players were staying before the first-leg clash, chanting and setting off fireworks.
