Ryan Hemphill, a lawyer already facing a 116-count indictment over alleged sexual assaults on six women, has been hit with a fresh 41-count indictment at Manhattan Supreme Court after a seventh woman came forward. The new charges include rape and predatory sexual assault, and he has pleaded not guilty.
Prosecutors say the latest alleged victim arrived at his Midtown apartment in spring 2024 expecting cash for sex after meeting him on the SugarDaddy app. But Hemphill "was planning something else entirely," Assistant District Attorney Mirah Curzer told the court.
Seven-hour ordeal detailed in court
Curzer told the judge: "He threatened her with a knife to keep her from resisting, tied her to his bed…burned her with a hot object. He forced her to wear an electric shock collar on her neck."
"He also forced her into the bathtub where he repeatedly held her head in the water, pulling her up right before she lost consciousness, and then went to submerge her again and again."
The abuse only ended when he allegedly forced the woman to record a video claiming she wanted to be raped. Curzer added: "The video itself shows how false that is. The victim is clearly terrified and [he is] actively abusing her while she speaks."
Alleged blackmail and threats
Hemphill, 43, allegedly recorded the footage to blackmail his targets and "kept them as trophies," according to US court filings. Court papers state he bombarded victims with text messages boasting of links to organised crime and the police to keep them quiet, and allegedly handed over fake cash or refused to pay them altogether.
Wearing rosary beads in court, Hemphill is claimed to have convinced his latest victim that going to the authorities would be "pointless," suggesting he had high-level government connections that rendered him "powerful and untouchable."
Arrest and reaction
The woman went to police after spotting media coverage of his initial arrest. Hemphill was originally arrested in March 2025 after detectives uncovered dozens of video recordings, hidden surveillance cameras, illegal drugs and high-capacity ammo. He is currently behind bars at New York's Rikers Island.
In court, he casually said "nice to see you again" to a press photographer. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg branded the alleged offences "absolutely horrific," adding: "I am grateful for this survivor's bravery in coming forward, despite the defendant's alleged attempts to convince her that a coerced videoed statement would make him impossible to prosecute."
