Former Mining Executive Denied Bail on Child Exploitation Charges

A former high-level mining executive has been denied bail after facing court charged with possessing child exploitation material overseas and distributing indecent material to children.

The Mackay Magistrates Court heard on June 17 that, between 2022 and 2024, an Australian Federal Police investigation allegedly found Ole Saeverud to be in possession of multiple instances of child exploitation material in Indonesia.

The 75-year-old has spent significant amounts of time living overseas since 2011 and has owned properties in Mongolia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.

The court heard that on January 22, 2020, the Australian Federal Police received an anonymous Crime Stoppers report alleging Mr Saeverud was involved in child exploitation offences in Mongolia while working as a mining company executive.

A public Facebook profile with the name Ole Saeverud lists themselves as the Deputy Director of Oyu Tolgoi LLC, Mongolia.

Oyu Tolgoi is a large mine jointly owned by Rio Tinto and the Mongolian government.

The court heard Mr Saeverud was now retired and had only been charged with offences related to Indonesia.

Magistrate Bronwyn Hartigan said police began investigating, and a full baggage inspection conducted by the Australian Border Force in September 2022 led to further investigation of communication services.

Police investigations reviewed communications linked to Gmail, WhatsApp and Apple accounts and Crown prosecutor Hugh Russell alleged police investigations found 51 files of child abuse material, which he called "depraved" in nature.

The court heard Mr Saeverud allegedly discussed boarding a flight back to Australia on March 16, 2025, after being told by a Bali local that police were looking for him.

Mr Saeverud was arrested at his home in Ilbilbie, near Mackay, on Tuesday, June 16.

Bail application denied

Magistrate Hartigan said Mr Saeverud has no criminal history and the presumption of bail would typically be in his favour.

However, she denied Mr Saeverud's bail application due to concerns the defendant would use his connections, influence and significant financial means to avoid the judicial process and to mask his movements.

The court heard Mr Saeverud was the godfather of the child of Bulgan Tuya, the former speaker of the house in Mongolian parliament.

Intercepted communications allege Mr Saeverud said he unsuccessfully tried to have Ms Tuya overturn a decision by Mongolian Immigration to not let him into the country in July, 2025.

"He has well-established social networks in the countries that he travels to, including those with significant positions of power and influence such as the deputy speaker of the house in Mongolian parliament, police officers in Indonesia and extensive multi-generational social networks in Bali, Indonesia," Magistrate Hartigan said.

Mr Saeverud is charged with 11 counts of possessing child abuse material outside of Australia, and two counts of using a carriage service to transmit indecent material to a person under 16.

Other devices were seized during his arrest and are under investigation.

Mr Saeverud was remanded in custody and will appear before the Mackay Magistrates Court on August 11 for a committal mention.