A Los Angeles man, his wife and his ex-wife are the target of federal charges for allegedly running a "large-scale prostitution enterprise" that brought Eastern European woman to become sex workers in Southern California, authorities said Tuesday. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Justice. An affidavit filed in the case states that the prostitutes came from Eastern Europe and Russia, staying in the United States for up to three months at a time depending on their immigration status.
The women worked shifts at private residences where appointments were offered in 30 or 60 minute increments, with a referral-based customer pool. The women speak limited English, according to the affidavit.. They were subject to a hearing in federal court in Santa Ana Monday afternoon and are being held without bail. Investigators believe Kassianova, pictured below at right, may be out of the country.
She is still being sought, according to the release. Kassianova claims to be the sister of Hakopyan's current wife, Muravyeva, according to the affidavit. Get Los Angeles's latest local news on crime, entertainment, weather, schools, cost of living and more.
Here's your go-to source for today's LA news. Two other Los Angeles residences were searched as well Monday: an apartment in a high-rise building in the block of Hollywood Boulevard map , and another apartment in a multi-unit building in the block of Wilshire Boulevard map.
The case alleges that the defendants had four recruiters in Europe who found potential sex workers. The defendants allegedly coached the women on how to enter the United States through a visa waiver program. After arranging flights for the women, the pair would allegedly find them housing and have them photographed. The professional "provocative pictures" would be posted on sites such as eros-guide. The husband-and-wife pair were employed as elderly care takers for Hakopyan's parents in Los Angeles under the California Department of Social Services' In Home Supportive Services program, according to the affidavit.
