World famous contortionist jailed for 22 years after being convicting of sexually abusing underage girls

Mukhtar Gusengadzhiev, who is also known as the Snake Man, has appeared in multiple Russian films

Mukhtar Gusengadzhiev (Wikimedia Commons)

A world famous contortionist has been jailed for 22 years after being convicting of sexually abusing underage girls.

Mukhtar Gusengadzhiev, who is also known as the Snake Man, was initially accused of abusing one nine-year-old.

When police searched his flat in Moscow they said they found child pornography videos that had been made by him.

One of the victims said that Gusengadzhiev had undressed her and touched her.

Gusengadzhiev, who has appeared in a number of Russian movies, claimed he had been framed.

He argued that family members set him up as they wanted his apartment in one of Russia’s exclusive skyscrapers.

The 53-year-old’s fans started a campaign which received more than 1,700 signatures protesting his innocence, according to the Mirror.

Mukhtar Gusengadzhiev was known in Russia as the Snake Man (Youtube/gusenchik81)

"We think that the case was fully made up... and we demand thorough investigation," the petition said.

Police said between 2012 and 2015 he “performed violent sexual actions against underage children” in and near Moscow.

He will now spend 22 years in prison and will have to undergo compulsory treatment for paedophilia.

In a statement by the Russian Investigative Committee, which probes serious crimes, a spokesman said: "While searching the apartment occupied by the accused man video recordings of a pornographic nature involving young children were discovered.”