Police investigating accused paedophile's links to celebrated charity

AFP and Cambodian police probe accused paedophile Mark Dennis's links to Cambodian charity In short: Mark Dennis was arrested in January as he returned from Cambodia where he had visited a property at Sunrise Cambodia. He was charged with possessing and transmitting child abuse material but was found dead before entering a plea. ABC Investigations and Background Briefing can reveal Australian and Cambodian police are investigating the former Sunrise chairman and his connections. Australian and Cambodian police are jointly investigating accused paedophile Mark Dennis's network and links to celebrated charity Sunrise Cambodia, following his death after being charged with possessing child abuse material. Warning: This article contains references to child sexual abuse. asserted

The ABC can reveal the Australian Federal Police and Cambodian National Police have an active child protection investigation into people connected with Mr Dennis. asserted

Mr Dennis was chairman of the Australian Cambodian Foundation, the registered charity raising funds for Sunrise Cambodia from 2018 to 2020. asserted

He claims to have visited children in the orphanage in Kandal once or twice yearly since 2008. uncertain

A spokesperson for Sunrise said it was not aware of any current investigation, and that it had been advised by police that no current or former child in Sunrise's care had been identified in connection with Mr Dennis's arrest. asserted

Mr Dennis was charged with possessing and transmitting child abuse material after he was arrested in January at Sydney Airport returning from a trip to Cambodia, where he had visited Sunrise Cambodia in Kandal. asserted

During Mr Dennis's bail hearing the following day, Commonwealth prosecutor Jon Kisch said police found a Dropbox account that was connected to at least 12 devices. asserted

The prosecutor also alleged that Mr Dennis was chatting online with at least two individuals to whom he allegedly expressed sexual interest in children under the age of 18. uncertain

Mr Kisch described the offending as "serious" and said Mr Dennis had expressed a "desire to rape" a 16-year-old and possessed an image of a boy aged between six and 10 years old. asserted

Mr Dennis was released from custody on strict conditions, including that he not use the internet or contact anyone under 16, but was found dead in his house under non-suspicious circumstances before entering a plea or the case being tried. asserted

Cambodian National Police head of Transnational Crime Tream, Major General Chhuo Chanthan, exclusively told the ABC in June the cross-border investigation was ongoing as authorities worked together to probe Mr Dennis's network. "Even though he has died, the investigation is not finished since the people who are involved with him in Cambodia are still alive," Major General Chanthan said. asserted

The Cambodia Ministry of Interior told the ABC in August that the case concerning Mr Dennis was "ongoing and confidential" and that further details could not be provided. uncertain

Two weeks after Mr Dennis's death, the AFP's child protection team retained an officer to work full-time on the investigation, codenamed Operation Queenstown, which an officer said involved a "substantial amount of material", according to emails seen by the ABC. uncertain

Documents from the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions, obtained by the ABC under Freedom of Information laws, reveal Mr Dennis denied the allegation he possessed child abuse material in an interview with police, but never entered a formal plea. asserted

A fact sheet among the documents reveals Mr Dennis was charged with using a carriage service to transmit child abuse material by sending Whatsapp messages to two accounts between February 2023 and June 2025, including one account with an Australian number and username "Kanje". But parts of the fact sheet related to these two accounts were redacted, citing the "current or pending investigation" and "communication the subject of which is under investigation by the Cambodian authorities". asserted

A spokesperson for the AFP said investigations involving alleged offending in foreign countries were "inherently complex" and it worked with international law enforcement partners to "investigate allegations of serious criminal offending". asserted

"As the matter remains ongoing, no further comment is appropriate at this time," the spokesperson said. asserted

The AFP also said "investigators would greatly appreciate" if people with information relevant to Operation Queenstown reported it via its crime portal. asserted

Sunrise was founded by celebrity philanthropist Geraldine Cox in 1993 when she was given land by Cambodia's former prime minister Hun Sen, and has since supported many disadvantaged children. asserted

There is no suggestion that Ms Cox is personally under investigation or suspected of any wrongdoing. asserted

Sunrise country director Tracey Shelton, who formerly worked as a journalist at the ABC and was appointed ACF director in 2021, said there had been no adverse reports about Mr Dennis during his time as a visitor, donor and director. asserted

Ms Shelton said Mr Dennis had a reputation as a "huge barrister in Sydney, well respected" but stressed Sunrise Cambodia had very strict child protection policies that apply to everyone. asserted

She said management had contacted some of the children Mr Dennis sponsored after he was arrested. asserted

The Australian Cambodia Foundation remains responsible for managing bequests to Sunrise Cambodia, according to Sunrise treasurer Hugh Darwell, but Brisbane-based non-government organisation Global Development Group (GDG) is now largely responsible for managing donations from Australia and around the world. uncertain

GDG was contacted for comment. asserted

Sunrise has not published a statement on its website about Mr Dennis's alleged offending. asserted

Another charity he also donated to, Cambodian Children's Fund, publicly cut ties immediately after charges were laid. asserted

Responding to questions from the ABC this week, Sunrise Cambodia treasurer Hugh Darwell said that after Mr Dennis's arrest, the charity made enquiries to local police and authorities regarding Sunrise children. asserted

"After a period in which they carried out investigations, they advised us that no child in Sunrise's care has been identified in connection with Mr Dennis's arrest," he said. asserted

The first episode of Dark Menace, a new three-part investigative podcast from Background Briefing and ABC Investigations, will be available this afternoon via the ABC Listen app and wherever you get your podcasts. asserted