Mikhail Vasilievich Pletnev, a world famous pianist and conductor of Russia, has been charged with raping a 14-year-old boy in Thailand, local media said Wednesday.

He was charged Tuesday with rape and involvement in taking bawdy pictures with several other boys, a Thai police said.

He was released on a 300,000 baht (9,000 U.S. dollars) bail, ordered to report to the court every 12 days and is banned from contacting any witnesses in the case. He could face up to 20 years in jail and a fine of up to 40,000 baht if found guilty.

"This whole thing is a misunderstanding," said Pletnev in an interview. He said he would not leave Thailand and was still living in Pattaya.

Thailand has always been known as a haven for sex tourists and pedophiles because of widespread prostitution and lax law enforcement. Authorities have voiced intentions to crack down on such offenses, and the Russian’s arrest is one of the most prominent cases to date.

Pletnev won a Grammy award for best chamber music performance in 2005.

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