Pensioner linked to child prostitution ring released on bail

A 60-year-old man who was allegedly found with explicit photographs and videos on his phone of the 12-year-old Athens girl who was forced into prostitution by her mother’s employer was released from pretrial custody on Friday.

After testifying to an investigating magistrate and prosecutor, the unnamed pensioner was ordered to pay 5,000 euros in bail and to report to his local police precinct three times a month.

According to state broadcaster ERT, the man denied all charges and said that he had never met the young girl, who was being pimped via an online dating site, among other means, and forced to have sex with dozens of men. Photographs and videos of the girl were also distributed and sold online.

The suspect reportedly admitted to chatting with the girl on the dating app but said he had been led to believe she was 17 years old.