Former NYC Financier Howard Rubin Indicted on Sex Trafficking Charges

Federal prosecutors have charged Howard Rubin, a retired New York City financier with sex trafficking, transportation of women across state lines for sexual purposes, and bank fraud. The indictment alleges that Rubin used his significant wealth and influence to lure dozens of women—many of them former Playboy models—into what appeared to be high-paying arrangements, only for them to suffer violent assaults in a Midtown penthouse prosecutors describe as a “sex dungeon.”

The Allegations

According to the Brooklyn U.S. Attorney’s Office, between 2009 and 2019 Rubin restrained, beat, and electrocuted women, often ignoring pleas to stop even when a “safe word” had been agreed upon. Prosecutors allege that many of the victims were financially vulnerable and were given drugs or alcohol before the assaults.

Court documents describe one room in Rubin’s $18,000-a-month luxury apartment as soundproofed, painted red, and outfitted with devices for electrocution, cross-like restraints, and gagging equipment. Some women allegedly suffered lasting injuries, including a breast implant rupture that Rubin later paid to have surgically repaired.

Rubin’s longtime assistant, Jennifer Powers, was also indicted. She is accused of recruiting women through social media, arranging their travel to New York, and facilitating payments—often staggered to avoid detection.

From Civil Suits to Criminal Charges

Rubin’s alleged abuse first came to light in civil lawsuits filed in 2017, where several women, including Playboy models Mia Lytell and Amy Moore, accused him of violent sexual assaults. A New York jury awarded six plaintiffs hundreds of thousands of dollars in 2022, and Rubin was ordered to pay an additional $4.8 million in legal fees. Those cases remain on appeal.

The current criminal indictment marks a major escalation, with Rubin facing a minimum of 15 years in prison if convicted of sex trafficking. Prosecutors argue he is both a flight risk—given reports of tens of millions in offshore assets—and a continuing danger to the public.

The Legal Implications

The Rubin case illustrates several important legal issues:

• Sex Trafficking and Consent: Even when individuals are recruited for consensual commercial sex acts, the law draws a clear line at coercion, deception, or activity that exceeds consent.
• Financial Exploitation: The indictment highlights how wealth and power can be weaponized to target vulnerable victims.
• Civil vs. Criminal Accountability: Civil suits may secure compensation for survivors, but criminal charges ensure the possibility of incarceration, broader deterrence, and public accountability.

Protecting Survivors of Sexual Abuse

Cases like this show the importance of holding powerful individuals accountable when they exploit others. Survivors of sexual abuse or trafficking often face intimidation, stigma, and lasting trauma. The law provides pathways to justice, both through civil litigation to recover damages and through criminal prosecutions that remove dangerous offenders from the community.

Contact a New York Sexual Abuse Lawyer

If you or a loved one has been a victim of sexual abuse, whether by a private individual or through organized trafficking, it is critical to seek legal advice promptly. Survivors have the right to pursue justice in both civil and criminal courts, and experienced attorneys can help navigate these complex cases with discretion and compassion.

The attorneys at Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & Mackauf have extensive experience representing survivors of abuse and securing justice against individuals and institutions that fail to protect them. Contact us today at 212-943-1090 for a confidential consultation.