American teacher accused of having sex with boys in Cameroon, Togo

An American man, who teaches overseas, is accused of having sex with minors while serving as an educator abroad. According to the federal criminal complaint filed Tuesday, 50-year-old Thomas Page has been traveling and living overseas since 1990, residing in African countries including Cameroon and Togo. He returns to Winona for vacations and summer break.

He taught science and math at the American School of Yaounde in Cameroon from 2007 to 2011, then at the British School Lome from 2011 to 2012. The complaint alleges that Page engaged in sexual activity with young boys during that time.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security began investigating Page in June 2012, while he was living in Togo, after receiving information that he was engaging in illicit sexual conduct with male minors, according to the complaint. During that investigating, federal officials discovered he had been charged in Cameroon for sexually abusing young boys during his time at the school.

According to the complaint, he was arrested in Togo and initially denied all allegations of sexual abuse. He told federal officials he knew the boys from the local beach, and some would come to his house. According to the complaint, he said he would buy them things like food, and help pay for their taxis or school fees.

Page allegedly admitted to the boys staying at his house overnight, not in the bedroom, and letting them sit on his lap. However, he denies there was anything sexual in nature. When federal agents brought up the criminal charges in Cameroon, he said the allegations were not true. However, he later admitted to having oral sex with two of the boys, according to the complaint.

The investigation continued in Cameroon, where Homeland Security agents interviewed alleged victims. The first, a 14-year-old who told authorities he would shower with Page and other boys, and page would try to wash and touch his genitals. He says Page also photographed them naked in the shower, and required them to be naked if they slept at his house. The alleged victim also says he engaged in oral sex with Page twice, but saw Page and another boy have oral sex at least ten times.

He also says Page offered to pay him for anal sex, after the alleged victim turned him down. However, he says Page forced him into it but never paid. At that time, relatives stopped the interview.

Another man, who worked for Page as a cook in Cameroon as well as Togo, says Page told him one of the victim’s mothers was blackmailing him. He told authorities he would see Page with kids sitting on his lap, and once told a boy to leave his home after seeing him in the bedroom, according to the complaint.

A second man, who also worked for Page, claims he had naked pictures of kids on the beach. Both men reported Page to authorities after he allegedly went to a hotel with minors.

During later interviews at a U.S. Embassy “safe house” in Cameroon, the alleged victims told agents Page would play with them and give them money. At his home, Page allegedly gave them drinks, touch them and force them to watch pornography. At the time, another boy was interviewed and denied any sexual abuse by Page.