Kevin J. O’Connor, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a federal jury in Bridgeport has found ALEKSANDER DUBOGRYZOV, also known as Sasha Saposhnik, age 45, a citizen of the Ukraine last residing in Brooklyn, New York, guilty of conspiracy to transport for immoral purposes, transporting for immoral purposes and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The trial began on Monday, September 17, and the jury returned its verdict this afternoon after deliberating for less than one day.
(Media-Newswire.com) - Kevin J. O’Connor, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a federal jury in Bridgeport has found ALEKSANDER DUBOGRYZOV, also known as Sasha Saposhnik, age 45, a citizen of the Ukraine last residing in Brooklyn, New York, guilty of conspiracy to transport for immoral purposes, transporting for immoral purposes and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The trial began on Monday, September 17, and the jury returned its verdict this afternoon after deliberating for less than one day.
According to the evidence presented during the trial, for several years, DUBOGRYZOV operated brothels in Stratford, Norwalk and Stamford, Connecticut, as well as locations in New York and New Jersey. DUBOGRYZOV advertised the brothels as “spas,” “massage parlors” or “holistic health centers” on the Internet and in the adult sections of several newspapers. DUBOGRYZOV solicited women to work at the various brothels by word of mouth or by advertising in a Russian language newspaper, known as the Russkaya Reklama. On a daily basis, DUBOGRYZOV arranged to have the women, most of whom were from Eastern Europe, transported to the various brothels.
The investigation revealed that cameras had been installed in smoke detectors in ceilings located at the Stratford and Norwalk locations. The Government is in possession of videotapes depicting acts of prostitution that were seized from DUBOGRYZOV’s home.
Employees of the brothels, including Tatiana Conte, were responsible for driving women to the locations where the women were employed as prostitutes and for delivering to DUBOGRYZOV cash proceeds generated from the prostitution. Conte deposited hundreds of thousands of dollars generated by the prostitution businesses into her bank account and wrote checks to facilitate the prostitution enterprise, including checks made payable to cover expenses, such as mortgage and utility payments for a house that DUBOGRYZOV’s owns in Palm Coast, Florida.
DUBOGRYZOV paid no taxes on any of his brothels, and the Government is seeking forfeiture of properties DUBOGRYZOV owns in Florida and New York, and more than $100,000 that has been seized during the investigation.
DUBOGRYZOV was arrested on September 14, 2006 in Westport, Connecticut, and he has been detained since that date.
When he is sentenced by Senior United States District Judge Alan H. Nevas on December 10, 2007, DUBOGRYZOV faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 35 years and a fine of up to $750,000.
On June 21, 2007, Conte pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. She awaits sentencing.
This case was investigated by members of the Smuggling and Trafficking of Persons Investigative Task Force ( “STOP IT” ). The investigation has been led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Connecticut, with assistance from the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division and several state and local law enforcement agencies, including the Stratford Police Department, Norwalk Police Department, Stamford Police Department, New York Police Department, Clarkstown Police Department ( NY ), Spring Valley Police Department ( NY ), Morristown Police Department ( NJ ), and the Morris County Sherriff’s Office ( NJ ). U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( ICE ) and the Connecticut State Police also assisted in the investigation
U.S. Attorney O’Connor acknowledged the assistance the FBI in Newark and New York provided during the course of the investigation.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Krishna R. Patel and Richard J. Schechter
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