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MORE THAN 900 German police, tax and customs investigators raided Berlin’s biggest brothel, charging it is linked to the Hell’s Angels biker gang, and making six arrests.
Police said they encountered 117 prostitutes and over 100 clients.
They detained the two managers of the so-called nude sauna club “Artemis” and four ”madames” in the raid.
Prostitution is legal in Germany, but police charge that the four-storey brothel complex constituted a system of “brutal and illegal prostitution” that severely exploited dependent women.
Those detained in the overnight raid are accused of tax fraud and withholding social security contributions, said police, who added that they were also investigating possible human trafficking by the club.
Most of the women were from eastern Europe, Russia and several Arab countries.
Hells Angels bikers allegedly procured women for the club in return for favours including free admission, said state prosecutor Sjors Kampstra.
Police acted on information from a prostitute who had spoken out after fleeing her ex-partner, a Hells Angels biker, who had allegedly mistreated her.
Investigators focused on tax evasion charges “like they did with Al Capone”, said Berlin chief prosecutor Andreas Behm, referring to the charges that landed the infamous 1920s US-Italian mafia boss behind bars.
Police charge that while Artemis had officially engaged the women as “self-employed” sex workers, the prostitutes were in fact regular employees with set work hours, price rates and instructions to perform specific sexual acts.
By withholding social security payments for them, the club had cheated the state out of at least €17.5 million, on top of its alleged tax evasion, said Michael Kulus from the Berlin customs office.
To help settle the bill, police said they had confiscated €6.4 million in cash, cars and property, also including 12 apartments and other premises in Berlin and nationwide.
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Very brave lady and best wishes to you. Can’t help but think it would send an even stronger message if he was locked up for the full sentence and none of this early release good behavior B.S
@Marc Murphy: yes .. I think that good lady will be fearful of his release , as anyone would be . Wouldn’t think he will be welcomed into the prison or when he is released though.
And Hopefully Sends a Strong Message to Other Men.
@The Divils Avocado: he’s not a man, No man would do that to a woman. What he is, is unprintable here.
@The Divils Avocado: Hopefully it sends a strong message to other judges.
@The Divils Avocado: Coercive control does not always include physical abuse and only men as perpetrators. We are decades behind other Western countries understanding or addressing that.
And sends an equally strong message to abusers too.
The Victim is the real hero in this story. To be put under that kind of abuse and threat and still go to the Authorities and fight him is absolutely awesome. Kudos to you. You Deserve all the happiness in the world.
Great for the courts and Gardai to back her up as well, it’s a fantastic day for Justice in Ireland.
Howcome this is not attempted murder
@Trevor Connolly: No intent motive? Circumstances considered by our justice prior to charges.
10 years is not enough. Throw away the key. There’s no place on this earth for a lowlife like that.
Waiting for landmark case of coercive control abuse with no physical abuse involved.
Insidious is the word. People like this guy should be rooted out.
My comment earlier got deleted – I assume because I said “Thank you, Laura Richards!” Laura is not the poor lady who survived the attacks. Laura Richards is former Scotland Yard and it is she who works with police and governments around the world, including Northern Ireland and us here, to educate and change / bring in laws in cases of coercive control and stalking. Check her out! https://www.laurarichards.co.uk/about-me/. The lady in this case is very brave. I wish her a continued recovery. I also hope her bravery will help others in similar situations make a life saving decision and seek help.
As it’s the first conviction of this nature I wouldn’t be surprised if the length of the sentence is appealed.
Let’s hope that this lowlife has a hard time at the hands of the other inmates
I hope the same results would happen if it was a woman who was charged but don’t think so because the State isn’t interested in that sort of thing.
He will have a hard time in prison. I really hope so.
have your say