The personal assistant of retired financier Howard Rubin reportedly helped him lure women to a “sex dungeon” inside his Manhattan penthouse.
Jennifer Powers, 45, appeared in federal court Monday, in Forth Worth, after her arrest for her alleged involvement in a sex trafficking scheme.
Powers, a mother of three, was Rubin’s assistant from roughly 2009 to 2019. She faces allegations of recruiting women to aid Rubin in operating an illegal network, as outlined by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of New York.
She allegedly targeted numerous “former Playboy models” that she found on “prostitution networks, modeling pages or social media.”
Rubin then “exceeded the scope of their consent by violently abusing” the women, the indictment read.
He’s accused of sexually and physically abusing the women inside the room he called “The Dungeon,” at his 2-bedroom penthouse near Central Park.
The indictment mentions a room that was painted red, kept locked, and filled with BDSM gear, including devices that Rubin utilized to shock the victims.
Sone of the women became unconscious during the abuse.
Powers is charged with downplaying Rubin’s actions by attributing them to drunkenness or by blaming the women for allowing him to become overly intoxicated, according to the indictment.
The pair allegedly spent around $1 million while operating the trafficking network.
In return for her cooperation, Rubin is said to have covered Powers’ rent on a Manhattan apartment, paid a deposit for her Texas house, handled the mortgage payments, funded her children’s private school fees, and covered her credit card expenses.
He later allegedly paid her legal fees.
According to the Fort Worth Star of Telegram, Powers began working as a substitute teacher at Carroll ISD after relocating to Texas in 2020.
“The person involved is no longer working with Carroll ISD, has been entirely removed from all responsibilities, and is denied access to our campuses or any facilities,” Carroll ISD Board of Trustees president Cam Bryan announced on Tuesday.
Officials released Powers from federal custody Monday, with the requirement of wearing a GPS monitor.
If convicted, she faces 15 years to life behind bars.
Rubin, is also facing federal charges of sex trafficking, conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, and conspiracy to violate the Mann Act.
Rubin is accused of paying victims up to $5,000 each. He has pleaded not guilty and remains in federal custody without bail.
“Over many years, Howard Rubin and Jennifer Powers supposedly expended at least one million dollars to support the commercial sexual torture of several women through a national trafficking network,” FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia reported.
“The defendants allegedly exploited Rubin’s status to ensnare their prospective victims and forced them to endure unthinkable physical trauma before silencing any outcries with threats of legal recourse.”
“The FBI will continue to apprehend any trafficker who sexually abuses others for twisted gratification.”
Law enforcement is asking any victims to contact the FBI at fbi.gov/HowardRubinVictims, email to HowardRubinVictims@FBI.gov or calk 212-384-3600.
Check back for updates.
[Feature Photo: Pixabay]
