Federal prosecutors have charged a former Soros Fund manager with trafficking women into his New York City “sex dungeon,” where the victims allegedly were brutalized and tormented for his pleasure.
Howard Rubin, the 70-year-old retired financier, and his longtime assistant Jennifer Powers, 45, are accused of flying in the escorts, some of whom were trafficked, to engage in bondage, discipline and sadomasochistic sex with Mr. Rubin.
“As alleged, the defendants used Rubin’s wealth to mislead and recruit women to engage in commercial sex acts, where Rubin then tortured women beyond their consent, causing lasting physical and/or psychological pain, and in some cases physical injuries,” Joseph Nocella, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said in a statement.
“Human beings are not chattel to be exploited for sex and sadistically abused, and anyone who thinks otherwise can expect to find themselves in handcuffs and facing federal prosecution like these defendants,” Mr. Nocella said.
Mr. Rubin was arrested Friday in Connecticut and arraigned that day in Brooklyn on sex trafficking and interstate prostitution charges. Ms. Powers was arrested in Texas on similar charges and will make her initial appearance Monday in a New York federal court.
Mr. Rubin is also accused of bank fraud for funding Ms. Powers’ lifestyle in exchange for her maintaining the alleged sex-trafficking scheme.
Mr. Rubin worked as a portfolio manager at Soros Fund Management between 2008 and 2015. There is no sign he had a personal relationship with billionaire George Soros, a mega-donor to the Democratic Party.
Court filings said Mr. Rubin’s sex abuse scheme lasted from 2009 to 2019. Victims originally met Mr. Rubin in luxury hotels during the first two years, but the alleged criminal acts took place later at a midtown Manhattan penthouse that officials said had its own “sex dungeon.”
The room was painted red and soundproofed and was complete with straps and restraints as well as a device to electrocute women, according to court documents.
Prosecutors said Mr. Rubin’s illicit actions went well beyond what the victims had agreed to when Ms. Powers arranged for them to visit.
Court documents said Mr. Rubin would ignore the victims’ “safe word” when the sexual conduct became too violent, and sometimes the women became unconscious from the pain so that they could no longer consent to the sex acts.
Prosecutors said Mr. Rubin would pay women less if they didn’t handle the BDSM well. He allegedly spent about $1 million maintaining the trafficking network.
If convicted, both defendants could spend the rest of their lives in prison.
• Matt Delaney can be reached at mdelaney@washingtontimes.com.
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