After Ukrainian singer Olena Topolia (Alyosha) reported being blackmailed, law enforcement officers detained a 23-year-old Kyiv resident for extorting money from the singer, the National Police reported on Monday, writes UNN.
A man who blackmailed a Ukrainian singer has been detained. The detainee demanded money for not disseminating confidential information about the artist.
Details
According to the police, it concerns a 23-year-old resident of Kyiv. "He had information that could compromise the person. To prevent this information from becoming public, he demanded money," the police noted.
He was, as stated, detained by operatives of the National Police's Department of Strategic Investigations and investigators of the Kyiv Oblast police. "The victim filed a statement with the police," law enforcement officers noted.
The police do not name the Ukrainian singer, but performer Olena Topolia, known as Alyosha, reported that "on January 10, she received blackmail threats over an intimate video, extortion of money, attempts at manipulation, and even demands for compromising material on her loved ones." "Allegedly, something happened to me from October 25. I have all the evidence that this is a lie," she noted on Facebook.
"I immediately contacted law enforcement agencies with a statement about a criminal offense. There is evidence, the process is ongoing," the singer said.
At the same time, in her address, the performer stated: "I, Olena Topolia, am a free person! I am addressing you after a crime has occurred. My intimate videos are already being spread online. I am not going to hide or be ashamed - shame should be felt exclusively by those who did this and who continue to spread it."
"Now that the video is online, I want to say clearly: my body, my intimacy - this is not your prey, not a commodity, and not a reason for humiliation or enrichment. It belongs only to me! No one has the right to steal my dignity or defile it," the singer emphasized. "To journalists, media, bloggers, and everyone who gets these materials: do not spread them, do not take screenshots. Every spread is a new victim, new harm, a new crime. This violates the law on the protection of personal data, on the inviolability of private life, and the article for it."
"I am not silent, because in the modern world there can be no place for blackmail. Someone really needs to make me 'not free'. Let my difficult experience be an example for everyone who goes through something similar: do not tolerate, do not try to negotiate, do not pay, do not hide, record, report, speak. Thank you to everyone who is already writing words of support. My dignity is inviolable. I will go through everything. I promise," she concluded.
Currently, the extortionist has been detained in accordance with Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine. Police investigators have notified him of suspicion under Part 5 of Article 27, Part 4 of Article 189 (extortion) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The issue of choosing a preventive measure for the suspect is being decided.
As stated, measures are continuing to identify persons who may also be involved in this crime. The sanction of the incriminated article provides for punishment - 12 years of imprisonment.