Four Kyrgyz Police Arrested In Rape Scam

By RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service
May 13, 2014

Four Kyrgyz police officers in the capital, Bishkek, have been arrested for extortion and other crimes related to setting up foreigners on false rape charges.

Kyrgyzstan's State Committee for National Security said on May 13 the police officers used a 20-year-old woman as an accomplice to extort money from foreigners.

Investigators say the woman would meet foreigners in Bishkek bars or restaurants for fake dates and later accuse them of raping her.

The police officers were caught red-handed while receiving $900 from one foreigner to have the rape charges dismissed.

The police are charged with extortion, abuse of power, and bribe-taking.

Their female accomplice has been interrogated but not yet arrested.

No names of the people involved in the case have been made public.