Partner Article

Record hitch-hiking attempt unmasked as fleeing fugitive

You’d have thought that the last thing a fugitive would want is to be broadcast on national television, but one Russian criminal turned it to his advantage.

Rustam Dzhumaliyev evaded arrest and became a minor celebrity by masquerading as a US citizen hitch-hiking across the country for a record attempt. Unsuspecting national television stations broadcast reports on an attempt by a man, who spoke only in English and wore an orange bandana, to claim a place in the record books by crossing Russia with no money or travel documents. Even with such publicity he was not recognised. Reuters reports that he was finally picked up by police for loitering over 8,000 km from his home town.

The hoax was uncovered last week by the Federal Security Service. They established that he was in fact a Russian citizen who was wanted by police for theft and suspected deception. He had already been convicted of theft at an earlier trial and his sentence banned him from leaving his home town.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .