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Robert Van Damme

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Robert Van Damme
Van Damme in 2006
Born
Robert Kovařík

(1969-08-11) 11 August 1969 (age 55)[1]
Czechoslovakia
Occupations
Criminal chargesArmed robbery

Robert Kovařík, (born 11 August 1969)[1] known professionally as Robert Van Damme, is a Czech-French[2] gay pornographic film actor, director, and producer, and former ice hockey player. After making his pornography debut in 2003, he became an exclusive model with Hot House Entertainment in 2005 and founded his own gay pornography studio, RVD Films, in 2009. In 2014, Kovařík was sentenced to nine years in prison by a Czech court for a series of armed robberies committed between 1999 and 2000.

Biography

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Kovařík was born in Czechoslovakia. In the 1990s, he was an ice hockey player for LHK Jestřábi Prostějov, and later played for MBK Vyškov [cz].[2]

Kovařík was charged by Czech authorities with leading a group that committed two armed robberies in Prostějov in 1999 and 2000. He remained in police custody for two years, the maximum length under Czech law a suspect can be detained without guilt being proven, before being released.[3] In 2003 he departed the Czech Republic for the United States, and was subsequently sentenced in absentia to ten years in prison for robbery and theft of amounts exceeding 5 million Kč.[2] Kovařík has contended that he was a participant in a motor vehicle theft ring, but has denied any role in leading robberies.[2]

While living in California, Kovařík was scouted by the American gay pornography studio Blue Blake Productions, and made his debut as a gay pornographic actor under the stage name "Robert Van Damme" in 2003. Van Damme gained popularity as a gay-for-pay "power top" performer,[4] making his feature-length debut in the Mustang Studios film The Hunted in 2005[4] and signing an exclusive contract with Hot House Entertainment that same year.[5]

A Czech court issued an arrest warrant for Kovařík in 2006.[6] In February 2009, Kovařík co-founded with his then-wife the gay pornography studio RVD Films. It released its first film, Robert Van Damme's Private Party, in March of that year;[4] the film was also Kovařík's directorial debut.[7] That same year, he was inducted into the Grabby Awards Hall of Fame[8] and won Best New Director at the Hard Choice Awards.[9] In 2010, RVD Films began distributing its films through the video on demand website GayMovies.com.[10]

On 21 May 2010, Kovařík was arrested in Los Angeles and detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.[4] His deportation was authorized by the U.S. State Department in March 2013,[2] and he was extradited to the Czech Republic in May that year.[11] His retrial began in September 2013 at the Regional Court of Brno[12] and concluded in March 2014, with a court panel sentencing him to nine years in prison.[13]

Accolades

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Year Award / Festival Category Result Refs.
2009 Grabby Awards Hall of Fame Won [8]
2009 Hard Choice Awards Best New Director Won [9]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Robert Van Damme". Internet Adult Film Database. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d e Zaoral, Martin (11 May 2013). "Aktualizováno: Robert Kovařík se vrací domů!". Večerníkpv.cz (in Czech). Archived from the original on 31 July 2018. Retrieved 21 February 2025.
  3. ^ Moš, Pavel (13 August 2010). "Lupiče z Prostějova pustili v USA na svobodu". Deník (in Czech). Retrieved 19 March 2025.
  4. ^ a b c d Rice, G. Zisk (28 May 2010). "Robert Van Damme Detained by ICE". AVN. Archived from the original on 5 October 2015. Retrieved 21 February 2025.
  5. ^ Johnson, Peter. "Hot House Signs Van Damme". AVN. Archived from the original on 5 October 2015. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
  6. ^ Moš, Pavel (8 August 2010). "V USA zatkli lupiče z Prostějova, na Hané přepadával řidiče". Deník (in Czech). Retrieved 19 March 2025.
  7. ^ "Robert Van Damme Streets Directorial Debut". AVN. 5 March 2009. Archived from the original on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
  8. ^ a b Rice, G. Zisk (26 May 2009). "'The Drifter' Captures Top Honors at 2009 Grabby Awards". AVN. Archived from the original on 12 June 2012. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
  9. ^ a b "The 16th Annual Hard Choice Awards". XX Factor. 14 February 2010. Archived from the original on 19 February 2012. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
  10. ^ "GayMovies.com, RVD Films Sign VOD Agreement". AVN. 16 March 2010. Archived from the original on 5 October 2015. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
  11. ^ Jiřička, Jan; Hron, Michal (22 May 2013). "Policie přivezla Čecha hledaného deset let, v USA proslul jako pornoherec Zdroj". iDNES.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 19 March 2025.
  12. ^ Kadlec, Michal (23 September 2013). "Aktualizováno: Kovařík promluvil!". Večerníkpv.cz (in Czech). Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
  13. ^ Melloy, Kilian (1 February 2015). "Gay For Pay Hottie Robert Van Damme in Czech Prison". Edge Media Network. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
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