Thread: Ukrainian accused of forcing illegal immigrants to become De

Ukrainian accused of forcing illegal immigrants to become Detroit strippers wants charges dropped
Published: Saturday, July 02, 2011, 3:05 AM Updated: Saturday, July 02, 2011, 3:50 PM
By The Associated Press

A man once listed as a top fugitive by the U.S. government and awaiting trial in Detroit says he never knew he was wanted.

Veniamin Gonikman recently requested federal authorities drop charges that he lured eastern European women to the U.S. and forced them to become strippers in Detroit, the Detroit Free Press reported Saturday. Gonikman said he's been denied the right to a speedy trial because of the delay between his 2006 indictment and January arrest. He was kicked out of Ukraine and arrested in New York.

Gonikman, 53, said he lived in Ukraine for nearly five years with his daughter and owned a small business. His attorney, Walter Piszczatowski, wrote that his client's "whereabouts were no mystery."

Authorities said he's a naturalized U.S. citizen who was living in Ukraine with a fake Russian passport.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Chutkow wrote in court documents filed this week that it's hard to comprehend how Gonikman can't remember whether he was involved in a conspiracy that led to the arrests and convictions of several family members. Gonikman's son, Aleksandr Maksimenko of Livonia, and other associates are in prison.

http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index ... ing_i.html

So umm, this guy forced these women to go to the US illegally? After they arrived legally he forced them into being strippers at gunpoint 24/7?

More likely these women wanted to come to the US illegally. They knew the risks and that they were breaking US law. To avoid the risk of deportation they worked in an establishment that harboured them and kept them safe from being found as illegals. I see no force here, these women knew they were being smuggled in and knew they were illegal. Yes they have few other choices but seriously did they think that being on the wrong side of the law would always be sunshine and lollipops?

I just see a bunch of criminals playing victim because as a victim they get treated better. After all if the women didn't want to be a stripper they could have easily contacted the police but no, they CHOSE to do the job because it provided for their being illegal aliens.