Thai Court Extends Bail For Russian Pianist In Child Sex Abuse Case

[Wozzit]

If that is the picture they were showing all over the news, the 'boy' looked between 22-25 years old. Don't know about you, but I consider a 25 year old a man.

I agree the 'boy' in that photo looked around mid-20s. But that is not the accuser. It was a framed photo in Mr Pletnev's house which the media, following the police into the house, seized on with their accustomed glee. It clearly showed the two wrapped up to the nines, so was certainly taken in a cold climate. I don't know who that young man is, but I feel sorry he has been dragged into this case.

Yeah, that's the only guy I had seen in a photograph with him, I did not know they had one of him and the accuser.

I have heard there is one of him and the accuser sitting on a boat with some others. But not in any compromising position. I thought it had been published somewhere, but I cannot find it now. So I cannot vouch for the accuracy of this statement.

[ericthai]

............ personally I believe he will pay the right people and get back in either here in Thailand or get a new passport in Russia with a different name. He has too much investment in Thailand to just walk away, just my thoughts

Think again - his photo has been published pretty widely. And what "investment" do you know of? His famed "sports stadium" and "mansions" may be worth US$100,000 at the most if he was very lucky.

When I was talking about investment I was not referring to just a dollar amount, I was speaking about the complete picture meaning he would have to give up living in Thailand where he has established a home for the past what 10+ years. I would consider this more important than any dollar amount. Investment doesn't always mean money.

Also he has two houses and a business you don't consider this a fair investment and would just walk away?

Edited August 3, 2010 by ericthai

[ericthai]

Curiouser and Curiouser!

1) Original reports said he was arrested, and when police searched his house they DID find evidence of child porn, but now they say no evidence was found.

2) Thai Immigration comes out and says they are voiding his visa and blacklisting him, but apparently that didn't happen either, since he has TWICE left the country and returned.

3) Am I the only one who has serious doubts that we will never know the REAL truth of the matter?

I never saw any reports that they found child porn at his house, from the first time I heard of this they said they searched his place with a search warrant and found nothing. If they would have found something then there would have been more charges added to his arrest.

As for this visa, guess you are not reading everything, he is out on bail and once everything is finalized then he will lose his visa and be blacklisted (however, personally I believe he will pay the right people and get back in either here in Thailand or get a new passport in Russia with a different name. He has too much investment in Thailand to just walk away, just my thoughts)

First report I saw and read was here on Thai Visa, have done a thread search and dug it out....

Opening post, a piece below...which states nothing suspicious was found...

posted 2010-07-07 08:34

Russian conductor bailed in Thai sex probe: consulate

MOSCOW (AFP) -- Famed Russian conductor Mihkail Pletnev has been released on bail after Thai police searched his home in Thailand as part of a probe into paedophilia, the Russian consulate said Tuesday.

Pletnev, artistic director of the acclaimed Russian National Orchestra, was released on bail after the search in the Thai resort of Pattaya, Russian consular official in Thailand Andrei Dvornikov told RIA Novosti.

police informed Pletnev that some Thai citizens who had been arrested for paedophilia and producing child porn had given evidence against him," Dvornikov said.

The police conducted a search together with Pletnev of his house, where nothing suspicious was found," he added, saying Pletnev was currently at his home in Thailand.

Thank you for the link, I never saw this, like I said the first article I read about this was they found nothing at his house, I cant recall where I read it..

[elkangorito]

Since this whole thing is so convoluted, methinks that extortion could also be apparent.

[Wozzit]

The longer this goes on, the more the so-called hard "evidence" we were told about at the outset seems to disappear. And what has happened to the spokesman from the NGO, Supagon Noja, I wonder? This is the man who was quoted around the world saying, "I'm very sure he won't come back to Thailand. We've been working on this case with the police for a long time now and finally had him arrested - and he's gotten away so easily." (quote from The Nation on 8 July). Khun Supagon seemed to be surprised when he did in fact return, but saw the opportunity of twisting the knife by adding, "we are convinced that we can convict him." (The Nation on-line 19 July). SInce then, this eager spokesman has not spoken! I wonder why.

[elkangorito]

With regard to the below quote, I deleted some parts of it. Nonetheless, I agree wholeheartedly.

That's right; the entire legal process is ludicrous at best.

How they discover a crime is being committed

How they handle the testimony of the said witness

How they investigate for possible truth behind the witnesses statement

How they perform an investigation into the alleged perpetrator

How they approach the alleged perpetrator

How they seal of a crime scene

How they manage a crime scene and keep it untainted

How they engage in the tedious and time consuming business of forensics

How they document and preserve the evidence gathered.

etc, etc. yada, yada! It is akin to a bunch of cows trampling through and crapping on their food that has been laid out nicely for them. I apologize for the bluntness of my observation, yet the seriousness of sending someone away for life cannot be lost here in light of the half-assed investigation techniques. How many innocents are rotting away in Thai jails because they were the fall-guy or girl, or dried-up sugar-daddy?

Swiftly on the heels of this charade is the complete and utter ineptness of the media. They are like Jonah Jameson and his white whale vendetta against Spiderman. No matter what the cost, the order of the day is misconstrue, tangle and confuse the story in order to sell subscriptions.

The clear problem to the answer; and answer to the problem are the law enforcement agencies.

[JohnLeech]

............ personally I believe he will pay the right people and get back in either here in Thailand or get a new passport in Russia with a different name. He has too much investment in Thailand to just walk away, just my thoughts

Think again - his photo has been published pretty widely. And what "investment" do you know of? His famed "sports stadium" and "mansions" may be worth US$100,000 at the most if he was very lucky.

When I was talking about investment I was not referring to just a dollar amount, I was speaking about the complete picture meaning he would have to give up living in Thailand where he has established a home for the past what 10+ years. I would consider this more important than any dollar amount. Investment doesn't always mean money.

Also he has two houses and a business you don't consider this a fair investment and would just walk away?

The "complete picture" is that he has been "living in Thailand" for around three weeks a year "for the past what 10+ years" (according to Thai immigration).

The "two houses and a business" are not "also" - they are the investment I was referring to, whch is minimal for a man of his means.

From a financial perspective alone, yes, I would unquestionably "walk away" if I were him and were blacklisted rather than risk being recognized and arrested. After all, the two small houses and "sports club" could be sold, and there are plenty of other countries to visit which have similar attractions to Thailand readily available.

Edited August 3, 2010 by JohnLeech

[tominbkk]

Any updates on this case? Seems like once there is a good possibility he was framed and could be innocent the story magically falls off the radar.

[SomTumTiger]

Only way he gets his career back is to get a not guilty verdict in court, settlement, or otherwise,and he is toast on the concert scene.

Except maybe in Pattaya

Edited August 7, 2010 by SomTumTiger

[Wozzit]

There is a more recent thread -

Acclaimed Russian Conductor Mikhail Pletnev Cancels British Concerts

[Wozzit]

Any updates on this case? Seems like once there is a good possibility he was framed and could be innocent the story magically falls off the radar.

The Russian National Orchestra issued a statement last night with the following:

Investigation into the accusations made against Mikhail Pletnev closed without charge by Thai authorities

The Thai authorities informed us that the investigation surrounding the founder and music director of the Russian National Orchestra, Mr Mikhail Pletnev, was terminated on September 28 2010 and no charges were made to the Thai Court. Mr. Pletnev’s bail was lifted in October, and returned to him in late November.

Mr. Pletnev has always refuted the accusations made against him. He has been fully cooperative during Thai authorities’ investigations. Under the conditions of his bail he returned to the Thai beach resort of Pattaya (where Mr. Pletnev has owned a property for over a decade) numerous times since early July, to show his presence as instructed by the Pattaya District Court.

This has been reprinted in at least one major international news magazine. Yet, why nothing at all in the Thai media? The case was apparently "terminated" on September 28th!! Who is covering up whom? And why? And what of all the allegations of this man heading a child pedophile ring. And the statement from a senior official in the Immigration Department that he would never be allowed back in to Thailand - guilty or innocent - because of the damage he had done to the country's reputation?

Thanks to the Thai authorities, Mr Pletnev has been vilified in the world's media. If the above information is true, the Thai and international media who were quick to brand him an international criminal should immediately offer page 1 apologies for the lies they spread and the damage to this man's career and reputation.

[Buchholz]

Child molestation investigation against Russian classical musician dropped

An investigation into accusations of child molestation by one of the world's leading classical musicians, Mikhail Pletnev, has been formally dropped without charges being pressed, the Russian National Orchestra (RNO) has confirmed. The investigation began in July, when Pletnev, 54 – the celebrated pianist who is the founder and conductor of the RNO – was arrested in Pattaya, a resort in Thailand, where he owns several properties. There were allegations that he had been involved in a child prostitution ring and had molested a minor.

Continues:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/dec/03/mikhail-pletnev-investigation-dropped

[Piengrudee]

Like the Dems, dropping a charge does not proof innocent. I hate to say, but it did not proof wrong doing too.

[TAWP]

Child molestation investigation against Russian classical musician dropped

An investigation into accusations of child molestation by one of the world's leading classical musicians, Mikhail Pletnev, has been formally dropped without charges being pressed, the Russian National Orchestra (RNO) has confirmed. The investigation began in July, when Pletnev, 54 – the celebrated pianist who is the founder and conductor of the RNO – was arrested in Pattaya, a resort in Thailand, where he owns several properties. There were allegations that he had been involved in a child prostitution ring and had molested a minor.

Continues:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/dec/03/mikhail-pletnev-investigation-dropped

But his name is forever tainted and people that attacked him here will never apologies...

[Piengrudee]

I wonder how much he pay the BiB. Just like when they are caught speeding. Money can buy Farang freedom.

[Wozzit]

I wonder how much he pay the BiB. Just like when they are caught speeding. Money can buy Farang freedom.

That's a pathetic comment. If he was going to pay anyone anything, the time to have done that would have been prior to the case being made public by the authorities way back in early July. Did you ever hear of ANY driver going to court to fight a speeding charge - and then paying the BIB? That's just plain ridiculous. The BIB are paid in order to PREVENT the case getting near a court.

Whilst on the subject, why on earth would anyone, especially a wealthy man with a major international reputation like Pletnev, go through the worldwide humiliation he was subjected to, when he could have easily paid off the BIB at the outset? Remember, this man was accused of being the leader of a child pornography internet ring, of running a child prostitution ring for foreigners, of having child pornography in his possession - and goodness knowns what else. And he was only ever in the Kingdom for a few weeks every year! All those allegations were later proved to be total lies.

Why on earth would he return to Thailand no less than six times for bail renewal hearings at a cost of tens of thousands of dollars, only then to offer up cash to the BIB to get off the hook? It makes zero sense.

Ever thought to ask why, since the case was effectively dismissed at the end of September, the authorities waited for more than 2 months to leak the announcement? Ever wondered why they then leaked the news late on a Friday afternoon (typically a 'dead' news time) just before the long week-end holiday to celebrate His Majesty's birthday? This whole case was full of holes when it first hit the worldwide media. Pletnev was set-up. I suspect the BIB reckoned they could make a bundle, but they picked the wrong man when he chose to fight the case to prove his innocence.