Thread: Fugitive Charged with Smuggling Women into Detroit StripClub

Fugitive Charged with Smuggling Women into Detroit Strip Clubs

Updated: Thursday, 27 Jan 2011, 7:50 PM MST
Published : Thursday, 27 Jan 2011, 7:50 PM MST

(NewsCore) - A wanted fugitive accused of smuggling women from Eastern Europe to work in strip clubs in Detroit was arrested Thursday at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York on human trafficking charges.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said Veniamin Gonikman, 55, was one of their top 10 fugitives.

Gonikman was charged in Detroit in 2005 in a 22-count indictment with trafficking in persons, forced labor, alien smuggling, money laundering, extortion collection and conspiracy, among other charges. He absconded from the United States before being formally charged.

Gonikman, a US citizen, was arrested in Ukraine Wednesday, before being deported to the United States.

According to court records, Gonikman came to the attention of federal agents in 2005 when one of his victims escaped and agents later confirmed he was operating a company called Beauty Search, Inc., in Detroit.

The indictment alleges that Gonikman, along with his co-conspirators, formed and operated Beauty Search as a corporate cover for a human trafficking operation which smuggled and harbored Eastern European women in the United States.

The women were exploited and forced -- through threats, coercion and isolation -- to work as exotic dancers, primarily in strip clubs in Detroit.

It is alleged they were forced to work 12 hours a day and give all the proceeds to Gonikman and his associates. The indictment and other court papers allege that the women gave the co-conspirators more than $1 million of their earnings.

Gonikman will make an initial appearance Friday in the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York. He is scheduled to be extradited to Michigan at a later date to face the current charges.

Gonikman's associates, including his son Aleksandr Maksimenko, Duay Joseph Jado, Evgeniy Prokopenko and Michail Aronovo, were previously convicted and sentenced on similar charges. They are currently serving prison sentences ranging from seven to 14 years.

Three other defendants in the case were also convicted.

If convicted, Gonikman, faces a maximum of 20 years in prison.

http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/dpps/news/f ... b_11621046

Doesn't say a damn thing about the women being arrested and deported as well. These women are never the victims they claim to be. They agree to come to the US illegally to get in, they often pay for the privledge as well. Its only after they arrive they become *victims* when they want to be allowed to stay legally but not have to do the dirty work they knew they'd be doing. Seriously does anyone in the world really think someone is gonna smuggle them into the US for honest and decent work and a good living standard? They knew what they were doing and are just as guilty.

Feds arrest nightclub owner on most wanted list for human trafficking

5:26 PM, Jan. 27, 2011 | 6Comments
By Tresa Baldas
Detroit Free Press Staff Writer

A Ukrainian night club owner who was on the federal government’s top 10 most wanted list for human trafficking was arrested in New York tonight. He had been on the run for more than five years.

Veniamin Gonikman, 55, was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

He was indicted in Detroit in 2005 on charges he forced Eastern European women to work as strippers in Detroit-area clubs. He had been on the lam since then, absconding from the U.S. before being formally charged, authorities said.
He is to be extradited to Detroit to face criminal charges.
Gonikman was arrested on Wednesday in Ukraine and deported to the United States. Homeland Security agents assigned to the Attaché Office in Germany coordinated Gonikman’s arrest and deportation with Ukrainian officials.
According to court records, Gonikman came to the attention of HSI special agents in Detroit in 2005 when one of his victim’s escaped and agents later confirmed he was operating Beauty Search, Inc. in metro Detroit.
According to the indictment, Gonikman and several others, including a son, formed Beauty Search, Inc., as a corporate cover for a human trafficking operation that smuggled and harbored Eastern European women in the United States.
The women primarily staffed strip clubs in Detroit, where authorities said they were forced to work 12 hours a day and have all of the proceeds extorted by Gonikman and his associates.
The women gave the co-conspirators more than $1 million of their earnings, court records showed.
In an effort to highlight the global threat of human trafficking, one of the victims testified before the U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary in 2007 about her treatment at the hands of the Beauty Search partners.
“They forced me to work six days a week for twelve hours a day,â€

So 7 allowed to stay, go figure.

As I will keep saying personal stupidity is not an excuse. Who really thinks especially anyone who's been to the Ukraine that someone offering you a ticket into the US doesn't have some ulterior motives. These women exploited themselves just hoping at some point they can escape and be allowed to stay. Same thing for the smugglers from China who smuggle Chinese into the US w/o being paid in advance. The people know they have to pay off their debt through any means necassary and they are willing victims. Noone forced them to come to the US, they all volunteered and were all fine knowing in advance how they would be treated by these smugglers.

Its just expected the US will come to everyones rescue and coddle them giving them everything they want. One who breaks the law has no excuse to claim the unlawful also abused them because of their own actions.