Bloodhound Gang Faces Criminal Charges From Russia
Two members of the U.S. band Bloodhound Gang are facing criminal charges after questionable antics performed during their Ukraine show in July.
"Moyer, Hennegan and other unknown persons entered a criminal plot aimed at disgracing Russian citizens and formed a criminal group to that end," a statement posted on Russia's Investigative Committee web site said.
According to BBC, the band's bassist, Jared "Evil" Hasselhoff, whose real name is Jared Hennegan, shoved a Russian flag down his pants while performing on a Ukraine stage. Next, Hennegan apparently wiped his private parts with the flag, before throwing it into the audience, Billboard reports.
The incident took place on July 30 at Kiev's Green Theater.
The Bloodhound Gang's lead singer, James Moyer Franks, also known as Jimmy Pop, is also under investigation by Russia's Investigative Committee.
Further claims state that while performing in the Ukraine, Franks said "insulting expressions in English against Russia." Statements were made during the July 30 performance, and more controversial remarks were made by Hennegan the next day at a show in Odessa, Ukraine.
During the same show, Hennegan also allegedly urinated on the Ukraine flag. As a result, he has been banned from Ukraine for five years.
The Investigative Committee, an agency similar to the United States' FBI, is inspecting the two musicians on claims of "inciting hatred in an organised group."
Hennegan and Franks are also under suspicion of "humiliating the human dignity of citizens of Russia".
Bloodhound Gang was already banned from a Russian music festival, Kubana, after a video of their Ukraine performance was uploaded onto the Internet in August. The band arrived at the music festival, where they even attended a press conference. They soon found out, however, that festival management cancelled their set.
"These idiots will not perform in Kuban," Vladimir Medinsky, Russian Culture Minister, said via Twitter at the time of Bloodhound Gang's removal from the festival.
The Russian Investigative Committee is currently putting the idea of adding Franks and Hennegan on a wanted list "under consideration."
Bloodhound Gang was founded in 1991 and gained fame with hits like "The Bad Touch."