Dutch Pedophile Files Lawsuit Over Fraud Sues Two Men for Fraud Lawsuit

A lawyer representing convicted Dutch pedophile Rene Paul Aubel said Monday that he had filed a lawsuit at Phnom Penh Mu­n­icipal Court accusing two men of cheating his client out of $9,000 in a deal that involved sec­uring the Dutchman’s release from prison.     

Attorney Theng Meng Y said he had filed the fraud suit against Heng Saravuth and Prey Sar pri­son guard Hun Sokchiv earlier this month, but could not recall the exact date.

According to Mr Meng Y, Mr Saravuth, working through Mr Sokchiv, had identified himself as a lawyer to the imprisoned Dutch­man, whose 10-year sentence for sexually abusing six young boys was upheld by the Supreme Court in February.

Despite having handed over the $9,000 in 2006 to gain his re­lease, Mr Aubel decided to file the lawsuit this month be­cause he recently learn­­ed that Mr Sara­vuth was never a lawyer and has fled with his cash, Mr Meng Y said. He added that the court had sum­moned Mr Saravuth and Mr Sok­chiv for questioning on Wednesday.

“The cheaters posed themselves as a lawyer to swindle $9,000 to help [Mr Aubel be] re­leased,” Mr Meng Y said.

He added that the payment was not an attempt by Mr Au­bel to bribe his way out of prison. “It was not the money for the re­lease; it was the legal service fee,” he claimed.

Deputy Prosecutor Hing Bun­chea confirmed on Monday that he had received the complaint, but said he was too busy to discuss it in detail.

Contacted by telephone Mon­day, Prey Sar prison Director Mong Kim Heng said that Mr Au­bel had asked Mr Sokchiv, who still works as a guard at the pri­son, to find a “broker” to gain his release.

“[Mr Aubel] asked for help to run paperwork, so [Mr Sokchiv] took $9,000 and gave it to another person—[Mr Sokchiv] was just a middleman,” Mr Kim Heng said.

“The broker took $8,000 and gave [Mr Sokchiv] $1,000,” he said, adding that Mr Saravuth, the broker, had since fled.

Mr Kim Heng added that as prison director he would not do anything regarding Mr Sokchiv’s actions, despite saying that it is illegal to act as broker. “It is a matter of the court,” he added.

Samleang Seila, country director of anti-pedophile NGO Action Pour Les Enfants, said that he was aware of about five other cases wherein foreign men paid money for failed attempts to get themselves released from jail.

“There is a problem at the pri­son that when foreigners arrive, there are usually introductions about lawyer services,” Mr Seila said of the scams.