Families Sue Roblox, Claim Platform Enabled Child Predator Access

Several families in Florida and around the US are suing Roblox, accusing the massively popular gaming platform of failing to protect children from sexual predators. One lawsuit, filed by a Miami-Dade family, centers on their 11-year-old daughter, who was sexually abused by a 19-year-old man she met while playing Roblox online.

According to court records and interviews reviewed by NBC6 Investigates, the man — Anthony Borgesano — admitted to detectives in 2022 that he engaged in sexual contact with a girl he described as “obviously younger.” Investigators say the two initially interacted inside Roblox but soon moved their conversations to the messaging app Discord, which is also named in the lawsuit.

The family’s attorney, Stan Gipe, said Discord’s less-restricted environment allowed photos and videos to be exchanged. Borgesano later met the child twice in person while she visited her grandfather in Sebring. During one of those meetings, Gipe said, a sexual assault occurred that “changed this little girl’s life forever.”

According to the lawsuit, the girl’s relatives found her missing and traced her phone to a nearby parking lot, where they confronted Borgesano in his car. Borgesano fled, briefly leading the family on a chase before letting the girl out. He later told detectives he panicked and didn’t want the chase to continue.

Borgesano ultimately pleaded no contest to lewd or lascivious molestation and related charges. He is serving a 25-year sentence.

The lawsuit alleges Roblox and Discord market themselves as safe spaces for children while failing to prevent predators from contacting minors. Roblox responded that it invests heavily in child safety, limits chat for younger users, blocks external image sharing, and has made over 100 security enhancements this year. Discord said it requires users to be 13 or older and uses technology and trained staff to combat grooming.

The victim’s family hopes their case warns parents about the risks of online platforms.