A convicted rapist preyed on the kindness of underage girls by tricking them into believing that he suffered from diabetes and desperately needed sugar, and then sexually assaulting them in their Moscow apartments, police said Thursday.
A suspect in the hoax, 47-year-old Stanislav Titov, has been arrested and is accused of attacking at least two 15-year-old girls on Dec. 17 and 24 in southeastern Moscow.
"The suspect developed a criminal scheme: He would follow a girl into her apartment building entryway and tell her that he is a diabetic in urgent need of sugar," an unidentified investigator told Interfax. "After the girl let him into her apartment, he would make sure that there were no adults present and commit his crime."
Titov faces charges of sexually assaulting a minor, which carry a prison sentence of eight to 15 years.
The suspect was released from prison on Sept. 18 after serving time for a similar crime, Interfax said.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
