US Secret Service agents visited Moscow strip club

Moscow, April 28 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Ahead of a state visit to Russia by then president Bill Clinton, US Secret Service agents had visited a downtown Moscow nightclub known for raucous parties in 2000, the Wall Street Journal has reported.

The latest revelation follows recent reports of Secret Service members visiting prostitutes in Colombia in April during current President Barack Obama's visit.

Secret Service staff and White House advance staff preparing for Clinton's state visit to Russia attended events at the Hungry Duck nightclub, the daily said citing informed source. A Clinton spokesman declined to comment on the matter.

The Hungry Duck, which opened in the mid-1990s in Moscow, featured performances by strippers and patrons, it reported.

It was set up by a Canadian, Doug Steele, together with several partners from Georgia. They sold their interest in 1998 following a dispute with a number of influential Russian officials. The nightclub closed down for good in 2009.

As many as 920 women supposedly once took part in a mass striptease at the Hungry Duck.

In the latest case related to President Obama's visit as many as 12 Secret Service agents, supposed to ensure the safety of the American leader during his visit to Colombia for a diplomatic summit, as well as 12 military members of the delegation, were suspended from their duties and sent home for "inappropriate behaviour."

The agents allegedly visited a strip club there and some brought prostitutes back to their hotel rooms, the newspaper said.

--IANS/RIA Novosti

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