Almost a month ago, the news broke of an Indian couple in Chicago being arrested for running an organised prostitution racket.
Kishan Modugumudi and Chandra Kala Purnima Modugumudi, the two accused who have allegedly been running the prostitution ring in the US by employing Telugu actresses, have been indicted on 10 counts of a Class 2 Felony at the Illinois Northern District Court by the United States Attorney’s Office.
If convicted, the couple face up to seven years in prison, apart from fines. In the US, Class 2 felonies differ by state. In Illinois, a Class 2 felony is punishable by three to seven years in prison and fines up to $25,000. The crimes that come under the umbrella of Class 2 felonies include arson, and some drug possession (2000 grams but not more than 5000 grams of marijuana), as well as theft of $2,000 to $10,000. At the moment, no bail amount has been set for either of them.
For most of the Telugu industry, it was no surprise when this story broke. No one has gone on record but if hearsay is to be believed, then it is an open secret that some young actresses from Tollywood travel to the US on the pretext of going for shows or other promotional work, and take part in sex work. Read our story about how this particular couple operated.
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According to the Chicaco Tribune, “The ring charged clients up to $3,000 for each sexual encounter, according to a 42-page criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago. While here on temporary visas, at least five actresses were sometimes forced to stay in a dingy, two-story apartment building in Chicago’s Belmont Cragin neighbourhood waiting for their next ‘date’,” the charges alleged. You can read our report of the arrest here.
This is a developing story; for updates watch this space.