Bali police name Russian nationals in tourist extortion ring

The Bali Regional Police have officially named four suspects—two Russian nationals and two Indonesian immigration officers—in a criminal case involving the extortion and intimidation of dozens of foreign tourists across the island between January and July 2025.

During a press conference on August 1, Bali Regional Police Chief Inspector General Daniel Adityajaya said that the suspects—Ernest Esmail (24), Yopita Barinda Putri (24), and Russian nationals Iurii Vithcenko (30) and Ilia Shkutov (32)—were apprehended following an extensive criminal investigation supported by forensic analysis and suspect confessions, Caliber.Az reports, citing Indonesian media.

“Based on the confessions and Scientific Crime Investigation analysis, we have identified 27 crime scenes that are still under investigation,” Adityajaya stated.

According to police, the extortion ring primarily operated in the tourist hubs of Denpasar, Badung, and Gianyar. Most of the victims were foreign nationals vacationing in Bali, many of whom have since returned to their home countries. Authorities anticipate the number of victims will rise as the investigation progresses.

The extortion scheme involved clearly defined roles among the suspects. The two Russian nationals allegedly identified potential targets, while the two immigration officers carried out the threats, coercing victims with the prospect of arrest or deportation unless they paid bribes.

“They kidnapped and assaulted the victims and threatened to take them to the immigration office or have them deported,” Adityajaya said.

Director of the General Criminal Investigation Division of the Bali Police, Senior Commissioner I Gede Adhi Mulyawarman, explained that the collaboration between the Russian suspects and the Indonesian immigration officials began after an initial meeting, during which they agreed to target vulnerable foreign nationals.

Mulyawarman added that investigators were able to identify and locate the suspects by analyzing data from their mobile devices, uncovering a coordinated pattern of extortion that spanned several months.

The case gained momentum following a report filed by Roman Smeliov, a 42-year-old Lithuanian national, who alleged that he was abducted, physically assaulted, blackmailed, and threatened with death by the group.

All four suspects are currently in custody as the investigation continues. Police have not ruled out the possibility of additional arrests.

By Vafa Guliyeva