Christopher Charles Ingvaldson, 42, a long-term close friend of Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau, has been found guilty of child pornography charges after being caught directing an international pedophile ring.

Ingvaldson entered guilty pleas in B.C. Provincial Court in Vancouver to accessing child pornography and possession of child porn. He was also initially charged with two counts of importing or distributing child pornography.

At the time he was charged, Royal Canadian Mounted Police said that 11 members of the pedophile ring in three countries – Canada, Australia and the U.K. – had also been arrested in their respective countries.

Justin Trudeau and Ingvaldson have been closely linked since their days as room-mates at college, and after completing their teaching degrees they were both accepted to teach at West Point Grey Academy, an elite Vancouver private boarding school.

After becoming Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau encouraged Ingvaldson to run for political office as a member of the Liberal Party. Ingvaldson announced his desire to be the Liberal MP candidate in the district of Vancouver-Kingsway, and developed a social media pages announcing his plans to run.