Russians held in Bali arrest
In a shocking turn of events, two Russian nationals and two Indonesian officials have been detained in Bali for their alleged involvement in assault and extortion targeting foreign tourists. The suspects, operating from the local migration service, are said to have used intimidation and possibly assault in their criminal activities [1].
The exposure of this gang comes after a separate scandal in Thailand, where extortion cases have been prevalent, but without direct connection to Russian suspects.
In Thailand, a major scandal involving a woman named Wilawan Emsawat has surfaced. Accused of extorting about $11.9 million from Buddhist monks through manipulation and coercion, her methods allegedly included seducing monks and demanding large sums of money, with proceeds partly spent on illegal online gambling [3].
Thai police are also investigating senior monks suspected of extorting hundreds of millions of baht for temple construction projects. This fraud and extortion ring involve high-ranking monks misappropriating donations, with ongoing investigations focusing on gathering sufficient evidence before charges [4].
Moreover, vulnerable Myanmar nationals in Thailand face extortion by authorities who threaten detention and demand bribes, exploiting their undocumented status. This systemic extortion is a significant issue, involving abuse of power by police [2].
In contrast, the extortion case in Bali involves direct criminal arrests linked to tourist-targeting. The detained Russians are suspected of extorting money from foreigners, with some potential victims reportedly being kidnapped by employees of the local migration service [1].
The organizer of the Bali-based gang, David Blanca, is a 26-year-old resident of Petersburg. Blanca posed as a journalist during the extortion activities, using a fake journalist ID, as well as fake passports and diplomas [1]. The activities of this gang were not limited to Indonesia, as they were also active in Thailand [1].
The investigation into the activities of Blanca's gang is ongoing. It's essential to note that the information about the current status of the arrested members of the Bali-based gang has not been provided [1]. The activities of the gang occurred from January to July 2025 [1].
While the Russian extortion case in Indonesia is a matter of direct criminal arrests, Thailand's extortion cases largely revolve around corruption by monks and exploitation of ethnic minorities, with no direct connection reported to Russian suspects [1][2][3][4]. The methods vary significantly, from assault and intimidation in Indonesia to coercion, financial fraud, and systemic bribe demands in Thailand.
Sources: [1] Telegram channel SHOT [2] The Bangkok Post [3] The Nation Thailand [4] Thai PBS World
- Despite the ongoing scandal in Thai politics regarding Buddhist monks and their alleged extortion activities, the Bali-based crime case involving two Russian nationals is a departure from political corruption, moving into the realm of sports and general news due to the detainment of accused extortionists targeting foreign tourists.
- In stark contrast to the crime-and-justice issue unfolding in Bali, Thailand remains embroiled in various instances of extortion, mainly focused on corruption by high-ranking monks and systematic bribe demands towards vulnerable Myanmar nationals, diverging significantly from the methods used by the Bali-based gang.
