The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is offering a reward of up to $25,000 (about P1.5 million) for information leading to the arrest of a Filipino content creator accused of involvement in an online child exploitation network.
In a wanted notice issued Saturday (Philippine time), the FBI identified the suspect as Austin Jan Sy Yatco, 27, a native of San Pedro, Laguna, who previously lived in Plano, Texas, before allegedly fleeing the United States. He is believed to be in the Philippines.
Yatco, known online as “Hairy Lips” on now-deleted YouTube and Discord accounts, gained notoriety during the Covid-19 pandemic for disrupting online classes and later portraying himself as an exposer of alleged online predators.
A federal arrest warrant was issued on 23 January 2026 by the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York in Brooklyn. Yatco faces charges of conspiracy to produce child pornography; conspiracy to receive and distribute child pornography; and offenses involving the sexual exploitation of minors.
According to the FBI, the alleged crimes were committed from 2019 to 2021 by an online group operating across gaming and social media platforms.
Authorities said Yatco is linked to a group known as “Greggy’s Cult,” which allegedly targeted vulnerable individuals, including minors, in the United States and other countries.
The group is accused of coercing victims into producing explicit material that was then circulated within the network.
The FBI also alleged that members of the group engaged in other criminal activities, including animal cruelty and psychological coercion.
Five alleged members of the same network were arrested in December 2025 and charged with child exploitation and related offenses. They include individuals from New York, New Mexico, Hawaii, California and Colorado.
FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Joseph Rothrock said authorities remain committed to pursuing suspects linked to online child exploitation cases.
“We are committed to apprehending Austin Yatco, bringing justice to his victims, and preventing future abuse,” Rothrock said.
The FBI urged anyone with information to report it by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), contacting the FBI Dallas Field Office at 972-559-5000, submitting tips online through tips.fbi.gov, or reaching out to the nearest US Embassy or Consulate.
Authorities said all tips may be submitted anonymously.