Frenchman facing death in Indonesia for molesting hundreds of kids

A French retiree could face the death penalty in Indonesia on charges that he molested over 300 children and beat those who refused to have sex with him, authorities said Thursday.


Police said they nabbed Francois Camille Abello, 65, last month at a hotel in Indonesia's capital Jakarta, where they found two underaged girls in his room.


Abello could face life in prison or even execution by firing squad if he is convicted on a raft of charges under Indonesia's child protection laws, including accusations that he filmed the illicit encounters.




Police said they had found videos on Abello's laptop computer that showed him engaging in illegal sex acts with hundreds of children aged between 10 and 17.


The pensioner had entered the Southeast Asian nation on a tourist visa several times over the past five years, according to police.


"He would approach children and lure them by offering them work as models," Jakarta police chief Nana Sudjana told reporters Thursday.


"The ones who agreed to have sex with him would get paid between 250,000 and one million rupiah ($17-70). Those who didn't want to have sex would be beaten, slapped and kicked by the suspect," he added.


Police said they believed Abello had been molesting Indonesian children for years and that there may be more victims.


As many as 70,000 children are victims of sexual exploitation annually in Indonesia, according to global anti-trafficking network ECPAT International.


American fugitive Russ Medlin, wanted at home in connection with a $700 million cryptocurrency scam, was arrested in Jakarta last month on allegations he paid underaged girls to have sex with him.

Frenchman facing death in Indonesia for molesting hundreds of kids - National - The Jakarta Post

How can he face the death penalty?

He's already killed himself in prison.

Frenchman accused of molesting over 300 Indonesian children dies after suicide attempt

A French citizen who was recently arrested for allegedly molesting over 300 children died on Sunday evening following a reported suicide attempt while in detention in Jakarta, the police have said.


Jakarta Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Yusri Yunus said an officer who was on patrol in the detention center last week found Francois “Frans” Camille Abello, lying in a weak condition with a cable tied around his neck on Thursday evening.


"[Frans] attempted suicide by using the cable," Yusri told journalists on Monday.

He was immediately transferred to Kramat Jati Police Hospital in East Jakarta, where he spent three days undergoing medical treatment before he died on Sunday evening at around 8 p.m., Yusri said as reported by kompas.com.


Frans, a 65-year-old retiree, was arrested last month at a hotel in Taman Sari district, West Jakarta, where the police found two underage girls in his room.

He had allegedly molested at least 305 Indonesian minors for years, most of whom were street children, though the police believe that there may have been more victims. Authorities have so far identified at least 17 victims, whose ages range from 10 to 17 years old.


According to the police, Frans used to lure his victims by approaching them on the streets and offering them work as models. He later brought his victims to his hotel room, took their pictures and molested them. Those who refused to have sex with him were physically assaulted.


The suspect also installed a hidden camera in the room to record his sexual activity with the children.


During his arrest, the police confiscated a laptop used to store the recordings -- on which the police found at least 305 recordings of different victims -- 21 items of clothing that were worn by the victims, six memory cards, 20 contraceptives, two vibrators and six cameras.


Frans faced the death penalty, a minimum of 10 years or a maximum of 20 years in prison under the Child Protection Law. (afr)

Frenchman accused of molesting over 300 Indonesian children dies after suicide attempt - National - The Jakarta Post

By Associated Press
July 13, 2020
12:55 AM
JAKARTA, Indonesia —

A French man accused of molesting over 300 Indonesian children has died after apparently trying to kill himself in detention, police said Monday.

Francois Camille Abello was taken to a hospital after a guard found him lying in his cell with a wire wrapped around his neck, Jakarta police spokesman Yusri Yunus said.

“His condition was stable a day later, but then deteriorated (because ) of brain damage due to lack of oxygen after suicide attempt,” Yunus said.

Abello, 65, had been paraded in handcuffs at a news conference on Thursday where police said videos on his computer showed him engaging in illegal sex acts with 305 children aged 10 to 17. Abello remained silent at the news conference.

Jakarta Police Chief Nana Sudjana said Abello had not cooperated with investigators and refused to provide passwords for programs on his computer.

He said most of the victims were street children whom Abello had approached and offered work as models. Abello paid them between $17 and $70 for engaging in sex acts and beat those who refused, Sudjana said.

Police are still investigating whether he has also exploited his victims economically through social media or other internet platforms prior to his death.

French embassy officials were not available for comment.

Abello was arrested late last month in a hotel room in western Jakarta where he was found with two naked girls after police had received a tip from nearby residents who suspected a foreigner at the hotel was exploiting children.

A conviction under Indonesia’s child protection laws could have carried the death penalty for Abello, Yunus said.

Bloody heck

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According to the police, Frans used to lure his victims by approaching them on the streets and offering them work as models.

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I'm sorry but this is where you want people checking.

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Originally Posted by lom

trying to kill himself in detention

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I think he achieved it, rather than tried it.


/pedant mode off.

I wonder did he spend time in Thailand, and if so where? And are investigations being made in to his activities and contacts...

The authorities could uncover something a lot bigger...

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Originally Posted by TheRealKW

I think he achieved it, rather than tried it.


/pedant mode off.

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maybe someone helped to tighten the cable