The “sex trainer” of the woman who leaked photos and videos of oligarch Oleg Deripaska and Deputy Prime Minister Sergey Prikhodko meeting aboard a yacht in August 2016 is asking the U.S. government for political asylum. “Alex Leslie” (Alexander Kirillov) is currently under arrest in Bangkok for illegal sex work, and reportedly faces extradition to Russia, where he’s named in a lawsuit by Deripaska for violations of the tycoon’s privacy.
Leslie says he and his “student,” “Nastya Rybka” (Anastasia Vashukevich), have “valuable information for the United States,” but they face death, he claims, if they’re returned to Russia. Leslie’s appeal to U.S. officials was first reported by the government-funded media outlet RT.
This Nastya Rybka story is too much. Here’s their letter to the US Embassy in Bangkok offering Trump-Russia dirt. pic.twitter.com/WyeKzM1Rgg — Keith Gessen (@keithgessen) February 28, 2018
Nastya Rybka previously appealed to “the American press,” claiming that she is ready to reveal “missing puzzle pieces” regarding Russian state officials’ role in Moscow’s 2016 presidential election meddling. Rybka says she wants U.S. asylum for herself and several other Russians detained in Thailand for “sex training.”
In early February 2018, Alexey Navalny published an investigative report based on Rybka’s social media posts and a book she wrote, accusing Deripaska of bribing Prikhodko, and possibly meeting to discuss Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Rybka’s “sex trainer,” Alex Leslie, also shared details about Rybka’s meetings with Deripaska, who won an injunction that led Russia’s federal censor to ban the sharing of the photos and videos.
In late February, Thai police arrested Rybka, Lesie, and dozens of Russian sex tourists, each of whom reportedly paid $625 to participate in his program, on the island of Ko Lan.
Zfalconking17 on February 28th, 2018 at 17:12 UTC »
Here's the biggest problem with these requests: according to current policy, the State Department is the sole one of the key authorities for arbitrating asylum requests. The same State Department that is suffering historic manpower losses. The same State Department that is run by Rex Tillerson, Recipient of the Russion Order of Friendship Medal.
Now, just to be clear, I'm not saying that these requests would be denied for any particular reason. It's a complicated situation, we already struggle to interact productively with Thailand as it is, and there's a whole minefield of political fallout floating around this one. But I'd be shocked if those requests made it past headlines, at least in part because of what I mentioned above.
Edit: Upon further review, other agencies are involved, but due to their manning of U.S. Embassies and their role in international politics, the State Department will certainly be a key player in any discussion of asylum.
Amanoo on February 28th, 2018 at 16:42 UTC »
They're going against Russia. Of course their lives are in danger.
drose427 on February 28th, 2018 at 14:55 UTC »
Cool and all if true.
But if they're Russian nationals in Thailand facing extradition, is there really anything the u.s. can do here?
Edit: my brain put China in the article somewhere...