Swedish MP investigated after US child protection agency tip

A Swedish lawmaker who resigned last month is now under investigation for suspected child pornography offences after a tip from a US-based child protection agency, Swedish public broadcaster SVT reported Wednesday.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) submitted around 30,000 reports of suspected child abuse to Swedish police last year, one of which triggered the investigation into the former Sweden Democrats MP. The lawmaker stepped down shortly after SVT first revealed the allegations.

Fallon McNulty, head of NCMEC’s exploited children unit, told SVT the agency was not surprised by the case. “Unfortunately, I’m not shocked that people in public office or positions of trust are involved in the sexual exploitation of children. They come from all backgrounds.”

Nearly all reports received by NCMEC originate from digital platforms such as Meta, which under US law must flag suspected child abuse material to the organisation. McNulty said the volume of information in each tip varies, but most include location data like IP addresses, email accounts, or other user details.

“We refer specific case questions to police,” McNulty said, “but our goal in sharing these reports globally is to ensure child safety.”