Estonian prosecutors widen probe against theater director over drink‑spiking admission
Estonian prosecutors have expanded their criminal investigation into former Estonian Drama Theater director Oliver Reimann to include drug possession, alongside earlier suspicions of deliberate drugging. Reimann had publicly admitted to spiking at least two acquaintances' drinks with MDMA.
Estonia's Prosecutor's Office has broadened its criminal investigation into theater director Oliver Reimann, who publicly admitted to drugging acquaintances, according to Eesti Ekspress. The probe initially focused on deliberate drugging but now also includes suspected illegal possession of narcotic substances.
Prosecutor Liset Rohi told Eesti Ekspress that Reimann may have illegally handled narcotic substances with the intent to pass them on, and may have deliberately drugged another person, putting their health and well-being at risk. She noted that secretly putting a narcotic or psychotropic substance into someone's drink can amount to several overlapping criminal offenses.
Rohi explained that drink-spiking is almost always linked to sexual offenses or crimes against property, since it is typically used as a means to commit — or attempt — another crime.
Case followed public admission
The investigation began after Reimann posted a public admission on social media that he had spiked the drinks of at least two acquaintances with MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy. Criminal proceedings against him started the same day Eesti Ekspress published its articles on the matter.
At the time of the incidents, Reimann was a student at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theater (EMTA) and, until recently, worked as a director at the Estonian Drama Theater. The theater dismissed him last week following the revelations.
The theater's creative director, Hendrik Toompere Jr, said management had become aware of how deeply Reimann's actions had affected the team, making further cooperation impossible. He stressed that protecting the actors and staff is the theater's foremost responsibility, and that the trust between actor and director — the foundation of theater work — had been broken.
The case has prompted wider discussion about drug culture within Estonia's theater community, though EMTA drama school head Mart Koldits said it is the first such incident at the school, which enforces a zero-tolerance policy.
