Singaporean beauty firm Esthemedica says they were shocked at the revelation that one of their technical advisors is a paedophile, adding that they didn’t know of his ‘appalling’ acts until news of his crimes emerged this week as he was charged in Australian court for sexually abusing dozens of children in four countries over a period 16 years.
Boris Kunsevitsky, 52, is a Russian-born Australian who had moved down under with his family when he was 12. Later in the early 2000s, he moved to Singapore. There, he worked with Esthemedica as a technical advisor.
Speaking to Channel NewsAsia, the company’s marketing manager Hoong Cheong Hon said that the company last spoke to Kunsevitsky as early as Friday, 17 May, on business matter. He added that they were consulting with him over which markets to expand to, as well as other business plans.
“(We were) still thinking he’s a technical resource (we can rely on),” said Mr Hoong, adding that the company’s plans “have to be held back” as it looks for a technical adviser.
Mr Hoong confirmed that the Australian had joined the company in 2014 and that it was his final place of employment before he moved back to Australia in 2017.
The managed told CNA that Esthemedica’s customer base was “all over” and that the Australian often travelled abroad for road shows and had ‘travelled quite a bit’ within Asia in that time.
Mr Hoong said he left in an ‘abrupt’ fashion and was told that he had to leave for medical reasons. Kunsevitsky continued to work Esthemedica as he managed to conceal his crimes from the company which retained him on a ‘part-time, need-to-call’ basis given his technical know-how of some of the equipment the company sold.
Mr Hoong added that the company was “still trying to grapple with the revelation” of Kunsevitsky’s crimes. Mr Hoong, who himself has never met the man in person, added that people would not have been able to guess at the Australian’s crimes as their relationship was ‘strictly professional’.
“(His crimes) come as a big shock, and the company is disappointed,” Mr Hoong said.
“We didn’t expect him to commit such appalling acts against children, or anyone for that matter.”
Over 16 years of abuse
In the Supreme Court of Victoria on Tuesday, Kunsevitsky pleaded guilty maintaining a sexual relationship with a child, 25 cournts of engaging in sexual intercourse with a child outside Australia, 12 counts of inducing a child to engage in sex with a child, child pornography, and other offences.
He reportedly groomed children from four countries including Singapore, taking photographs and videos of himself performing sex acts with them. The Australian police – who have been investigating him since 2016 – found more than 3,300 images and videos on a laptop and a couple of hard drives which show him abusing and sexually exploiting 47 boys, most of whom were teenagers although some were possibly 12 or younger. One video dated back to as early as 2001.
It was also revealed in Court that his supposed work trips around Southeast Asia were instead used for ‘sex tourism’.
During the proceedings, one victim who is now in his 20s told the Court that the abuse has left him confused and isolated, leading him to turn to drugs and attempting to take his own life. He had also lost his marriage.
Kunsevitsky was diagnosed with a paedophiliac disorder after his arrest and is now remanded in custody as he awaits sentencing at a later date.