BDSM-obsessed financier and aide charged in decade-long sex-trafficking ring

A former Manhattan financier and longtime personal assistant were charged Thursday in a decade-long sex-trafficking scheme in which dozens of women were subjected to physical and sexual abuse to satisfy the financier's BDSM fantasies, prosecutors said. Howard Rubin, 70, and his former aide Jennifer Powers, 45, are accused of trafficking women from 2009 to 2019, including ex-Playboy models, through a penthouse dungeon located on Billionaires' Row in Manhattan. The 13-page indictment charges Rubin with 10 counts, including sex trafficking, transportation to engage in prostitution and bank fraud. Rubin pleaded not guilty in court on Friday. Powers was arrested in Texas and is expected to appear in Brooklyn federal court on Monday as the case proceeds.

The indictment outlines a decade-long operation in which Rubin allegedly recruited women, coerced them into paid sexual encounters, and deceived them about the nature of the encounters. Prosecutors say many sessions occurred in lavish New York hotels before Rubin rented a penthouse apartment and converted one of the rooms into a private dungeon. Payments to victims reportedly ranged from $2,000 to $5,000 per session, depending on Rubin's satisfaction, according to court papers cited by outlets familiar with the investigation.

Powers, Rubin's longtime personal assistant for nearly 15 years, is accused of playing a central role in arranging meetings and silencing victims. Prosecutors say she helped furnish the dungeon and described in an email how she set up the room, including placing chains on a cross and a bed. One text chain released in court papers shows Rubin discussing a graphic encounter with a victim tied to a cross, while Powers reportedly replied with a loaded message about the scene. Other exchanges, prosecutors say, indicate the pair discussed plans to involve a third participant and to extend sessions beyond the victims' consent.

The soundproofed room was described by prosecutors as painted red and equipped with BDSM gear, and it became the focal point of Rubin's alleged enterprise. In some documented communications, Rubin allegedly referenced an electrocution device and a desire to push boundaries beyond victims' stated limits. Prosecutors note that Rubin provided a so-called safe word to stop activities if needed, but argue that he would continue when victims did not comply with the request to stop.

Prosecutors have outlined a pattern in which some victims were coerced into signing non-disclosure agreements after encounters, limiting their ability to speak publicly about the alleged abuse. The indictment also includes allegations of bank fraud connected to the operation, reflecting the range of criminal charges the government has leveled against Rubin.

Rubin was arrested Friday at his home in Connecticut and is scheduled for a Brooklyn court appearance on Sept. 26. Powers was taken into custody in Texas and is slated to face court on Sept. 29. The case is being prosecuted in federal court in Brooklyn and underscores ongoing federal attention to sex-trafficking schemes that exploit vulnerable individuals, regardless of wealth or status.

The charges reflect a broader pattern of federal investigations into trafficking that involve elaborate schemes across high-end venues and private residences. Prosecutors have emphasized that the alleged acts spanned a decade and involved victims recruited from within or around the modeling world, who were promised lucrative opportunities but found themselves ensnared in a coercive regime.

If convicted on the counts in the indictment, Rubin and Powers could face significant prison time and financial penalties. The proceedings will determine the full scope of the charges, the identities of the victims, and the specific roles each defendant played in the alleged trafficking operation. The case remains under seal in court records, with prosecutors expected to provide more evidence as it moves forward.