Paedophile placed on FBI’s most-wanted list

BANGKOK (AFP): The FBI’s decision to put accused paedophile Eric Rosser on its most-wanted list was welcomed today by Thai child rights activists who said it served as a powerful warning to sex criminals. Rosser, a former piano player at Bangkok’s prestigious Oriental Hotel and a tutor to the city’s elite, is believed to be the first paedophile listed among the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s top-ten American fugitives. The self-confessed child pornographer from Bloomington, Indiana, was indicted by a US federal grand jury on charges of sexually exploiting children in Thailand and the US. After posting bail, he fled Bangkok in April and authorities have not seen him since. Children’s welfare activists have said that paedophile arrivals into Thailand have increased in recent years as more Thai children have been forced into sexual slavery since the onset of the regional economic crisis. In the seaside resort town of Pattaya, two hours east of Bangkok, several bars are known as paedophile hangouts, and men stalk young children in shopping centre arcades. Rosser was arrested in February after being allegedly caught producing and distributing pornography, some of which featured his niece and other Thai children. After his arrest, Rosser wrote a letter to a Bangkok newspaper, confessing to sexual acts with children and pleading with the public for understanding. Within two months of writing the letter, he posted bail of one million baht (22,700 dollars) and disappeared. Thai immigration police say they have no record of him leaving the country, but they admit Rosser’s passport was returned to him when he was granted bail, a move that was sharply criticised by US diplomats here.