iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-
Indian film producer Kishan Modugumudi may be facing up to 34 years of imprisonment in the US for running a Chicago-based sex-trafficking ring, the Chicago Tribune reported on June 3.
Modugumudi, 42, pleaded guilty in February 2020, to a count of sex trafficking-related to one victim.
His wife, Chandra, 35, also pleaded guilty for her role in the scheme, the report stated further.
The federal prosecutors have reportedly asked for a sentence between 27 and 34 years for Modugumudi.
The prosecutors said he was a predator who “preyed on the hopes and dreams of young, innocent Indian women with dreams of coming to the United States and advancing their careers,” the Chicago Tribune report stated further.
The prosecutors have also appealed for a sentence up to 27 years for Chandra Modugumudi.
Modugumudi, a Telugu-language film producer in India, allegedly ensnared unwary young actresses looking to make a name for themselves and brought them to the US.
After entrapping his victims, he allegedly forced them into prostitution and threatened them with violence if they ever complained.
According to the report, the Modugumudis went to various Indian conferences and cultural events across the US, showcasing their victims for sex.
Some of the victims were as young as 16 years old.
The report further details, that according to the prosecutors, the Modugumudi duo charged up to $3,000 for each sexual encounter and kept the racket running in Chicago, Dallas, New Jersey, Washington and elsewhere.
Some incriminating text messages have also been recovered where the two accused talked about blackmailing and threatening to kill one of the victims to keep her mouth shut, the report stated.
Both defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on June 24.
