Several young Hungarian men who were lured to America in 2012 and forced into a gay prostitution ring are free this week, following the arrest of their captors in New York and Miami on Friday.
According to police, 31- year old Gabor Acs, 28-year-old Viktor Berki, and 24-year-old Andras Janos Vass have been charged with human trafficking, racketeering, and deriving support from prositutuion for their alleged involvement in the illegal business, which pimped out young European men who made up to $40,000 each per month for their captors.
Prosecutors say the victims, at least three men ages 20-22, were scouted on the gay dating service Gay Romeo (think European Manhunt) and were lured to America with the promise of making quick money doing legal work abroad.
When the victims arrived in America, police say they were forced to live in a tiny one-bedroom New York apartment that housed up to eight trafficked prostitutes. For up to 20 hours a day, the men were forced to have sex with clients and each other, sometimes on cam sites, for absolutely no pay.
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Police say the men were threatened with violence and even death if they tried to escape, and while they were allowed to leave the apartment for limited times, they had no money, no ID documents, and could not speak English.
“This case serves as a reminder that sex trafficking is not limited to any particular race, gender, age or sexual orientation,” Miami Homeland Security Investigations agent Alysa Erichs told the Miami Herald.
The trafficking ring was eventually discovered after the victims were moved from New York to Miami, where neighbors of the house they were being kept in called police after suspecting an illegal business was being run there.
Neighbors told NBC Miami that a never-ending parade of luxury vehicles were constantly parking in the home’s driveway, and they became suspicious when a sign advertising $5 car washes was placed on the home’s front door. Police have since confirmed the car wash business as a front.
Unfortunately for the victims, justice will not come in the form of a huge cash payout despite the horrifying ordeal they suffered, which could have netted nearly $2.8 million since their capture. Police have seized all cash related to the business as part of the investigation.
Stefano
This is disgusting.
MacAdvisor
“police say they were forced to live in a tiny one-bedroom New York apartment that housed up to eight”
Sounds like most young people living in New York these days, except, of course, for the forced sex part.
“Unfortunately for the victims, justice will not come in the form of a huge cash payout despite the horrifying ordeal they suffered, which could have netted nearly $2.8 million since their capture. ”
Not necessarily. That the police have seized the money doesn’t mean they get to keep it. That will be up to the court and, while Florida law is not as progressive as California on victim restitution, it isn’t impossible the seized funds will be used to help the victims out after the trial is over. Most of these cases settle and the settlement could well include the criminals giving up their claims to to the money in favor of the victims. Keep an eye on the case for us, Queerty, and let’s just see what happens.
Stache99
Damn. 40,000 per month each!! I wish someone would pimp my ass out for that. Sorry. That’s a terrible thing to say.
Horrible what they went through. I’d take those pimps to Judge Judy. Talk about getting even.
UpInTheGallery
Sometimes the police get away with keeping the money. John Oliver just did a story on civil forfeiture: http://youtu.be/3kEpZWGgJks
Stache99
@UpInTheGallery: Yeah, I watched that last night. I really think they will. They really need some margarita machines and new toys.
Stache99
Another thing. I don’t see what the fuss is about Eastern European guys. Yeah, allot of them are perfect looking but OMG the attitude. Not all of coarse but a good percentage of these guys. Yeah, he’ll look pretty but will be as warm as a cold fish in bed.
money718
@Stache99: Speak for yourself. They are great in bed from my experience.
Cam
These laws that say police can keep the money the confiscate is ridiculous, that money should be given to the victims. Those poor guys.
blackberry finn
Human trafficking doesn’t receive as much attention as it should in this country. Not knowing English would pretty much put them at their captors’ mercy. This is a very disturbing story and my heart goes out to the victims.
MacAdvisor
@Cam: I must point out the money was “seized” not “confiscated.” The two terms have very different meanings. Police “seize” all sorts of things at a crime scene from guns to mail, from hair brushes to money. Most, if not all, is returned after a case is over. Money is typically not, but it is used to satisfy demands of victims far, far more often than to pad a police department budget.
gaym50ish
Why is it that, when women who are kept as sex slaves are freed, it’s national news for days and weeks, but when it’s gay guys, we only hear about it on Queerty?
lykeitiz
@Stache99: Yeah, speculating on the sexual prowess of forced sex slaves is always classy.
Cam
@MacAdvisor:
If the money has been used in a criminal enterprise the police legally can keep it. There are multiple complaints of Police legally taking cash from drivers that that they pull over.
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20090322/LOCAL/303229940
Stefano
That’s all you have to say guys? Really? This is a story about sex slaves and all you do is discuss about the money? Morons. I’m out of here. Enough is enough.
Stache99
@lykeitiz: No dear. My point was that allot of them are doing it not because they’re just really into it but because they have to ie they’re poor and desperate. Not unlike being a slave. Certain escorting review sites like Daddies it’s common to hear these stories. Allot of them are beautiful but don’t expect any kind of real connection.
Stache99
@Stefano: Oh jesus. Chill the eff out drama queen. Yes it was all wrong. Some men were tricked and then forced into selling their asses to wealthy american men. Send them home and put the pimps in prison. End of story.
erasure25
Omg its the Penguin from Gotham.
Cam
@Stefano: said… “That’s all you have to say guys? Really? This is a story about sex slaves and all you do is discuss about the money? Morons. I’m out of here. Enough is enough.”
___________________
Gee Stefano, lets see which posts were actually about helping these guys. Your hysterical drama queen posting that did nothing. Or our postings wondering how and if the large sums of money confiscated could somehow be used to help these victims.
Pulling out the smelling salts and fainting like an old southern belle don’t really help them do they? These guys need therapy, and long term help to get their lives back. And what will help with that? Money.
Bryguyf69
@MacAdvisor: If you want to be alerted to future news about this or anything else, just create a Google Alert. Use the search terms, “Viktor Berki acs” (link below). Being a news addict, I currently have 20+ active searches.
https://www.google.com/alerts?hl=en&gl=us
Bryguyf69
@Stache99: I don’t think the Johns were looking for emotional satisfaction so a cold fish was just fine. In fact, being cold with an attitude might make the Johns feel like they just attained the unattainable.
Stache99
@Bryguyf69: I imagine it’s the same for guys into straight guys. For me there has to be some kind of connection. It would be like having sex with my vacuum cleaner. Oh wait I have tried that:) At any rate, I’ll never understand it but whatever floats your boat I guess.
imperator
I’ve had fantasies like that, but whenever you hear about it really happening it’s kind of a reminder that *actual* slavery is fucking repellent. But for some people, capitalism knows bondage but no bounds.
Raquel Santiago
Most of the posts here are correct. But it will still be a long time before they may see any cash reward. The other problem they are going to run into is that that money was gained by illegal prostitution (please note not judging just stating the law). So technically the state can confiscate and eventually burn it. Not its not right but i do hope the judge does whats right and awards those guys the money for what they endured is no fun. I know from person experience being held as a sex slave against your will is a nightmare i wouldn’t want my worst enemy to endure.
David Bolton
“Damn. 40,000 per month each!! I wish someone would pimp my ass out for that. Sorry. That’s a terrible thing to say.”
Well, the other story says that they were only promised $3-5K/month,” which is still pretty low for escorts in NYC. I’m sorry, but if someone was forcing me to have sex 20 hours a day and looked like Scrawny McScrawnerson here, I’d snap his neck.
Bryguyf69
It took the jury just 30 mins to convict Vass.
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By David Ovalle
[email protected]
Apr 10, 2015
A Hungarian national is facing up to 155 years in prison after his conviction this week for keeping young gay men as “sex-slave” prostitutes inside a North Miami-Dade home.
A jury late Thursday convicted Andras Janos Vass, 25, of human trafficking and racketeering.
Prosecutors say Vass and two others ran a company called Never Sleep Inc., forcing the men to prostitute themselves for up to 20 hours a day.
According to authorities, the ringleaders met two victims in Hungary through a website called GayRomeo.com. Another victim was “living with gypsies” as a male prostitute in Hungary when he met one company representative through Facebook.
The three victims testified during the four-day trial in Miami-Dade. Jurors deliberated just 30 minutes.
In 2012, the company flew the three victims — in their early 20s — to New York City, where they lived in a cramped one-bedroom apartment while performing sex acts around the clock, sometimes with johns, other times on live web cameras, according to the arrest warrant.
Up to eight men lived and worked in the apartment. Jurors heard that the ringleaders took their travel documents and threatened them and their families back in Hungary if they refused to work.
In August 2012, the group moved their operation to Miami-Dade. Defendants Gabor Acs and Viktor Berki, a former policeman in Hungary, are still awaiting trial.
Vass faces a minimum of 21 years in prison. He will be sentenced June 2 before Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Richard Hersch.
Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/crime/article18120644.html#storylink=cpy