Swedish Man Faces Trial for Exploiting Wife in Sex Trafficking Case
A 62-year-old Swedish man suspected of exploiting his vulnerable wife to have sex with 120 men for payment went on trial on Friday for aggravated pimping, rape, and assault. The defendant, who denies all charges, was arrested in October after his wife reported him to police in northern Sweden and has remained in custody since.
Court Proceedings and Charges
The suspect, reportedly a former Hell's Angel with a distinctive tattoo around his eye, appeared calm in court wearing a grey chequered shirt as prosecutor Ida Annerstedt read out the charges. According to the prosecutor, the man had for years profited from pressuring his wife to perform and submit to sexual acts.
'He is charged with aggravated pimping. He has facilitated an operation in which his partner and later wife have sold sex,' Annerstedt told AFP during a break in the proceedings.
The wife was not physically present in the courtroom but followed the trial via video link, with only her lawyer shown to protect her anonymity. After the charges were read, the trial continued behind closed doors.
Allegations of Ruthless Exploitation
The man is accused of creating online advertisements, arranging meetings, keeping guard, and pressuring the woman to perform sexual acts online to attract more clients. Prosecutor Annerstedt has labelled the case as 'ruthless exploitation', alleging the man created and supported the woman's drug addiction to control her.
'I maintain that he has exploited her situation in that she has been under the influence of drugs, she has been under the influence of alcohol, and she has had a serious fear of him,' Annerstedt told AFP, noting the charges included assaults and threats.
When reading the charges, Annerstedt stated the defendant had threatened to kill the plaintiff if she left him, warning her not to make him angry because then 'the monster would be released.' The accused is believed to have profited over 500,000 kronor (approximately £40,050) from the exploitation.
Legal Context and Additional Charges
Under Swedish law, selling sex is not illegal, but paying for sex or facilitating its sale is against the law. In addition to aggravated pimping and four assaults, the suspect faces eight rape charges and four attempted rape charges.
The rape charges include one incident where he allegedly compelled his wife to have sex with a specific client and several where he made her perform sexual acts on herself for online videos. These offences are classified as rape under Swedish law because the victim did not give consent.
Prosecutor Annerstedt previously told AFP the woman had, to some extent, agreed to sell sex but had objected to certain people or circumstances. 'She had certain boundaries. There are situations where he didn't respect those boundaries and steamrollered her after she said 'no',' Annerstedt explained.
Broader Impact and Comparisons
The disturbing case has caused shock in Sweden, with comparisons drawn to France's Gisele Pelicot case, where her husband was convicted in 2024 of drugging her and allowing scores of men to rape her while unconscious.
The alleged offences occurred between August 11, 2022, and October 21, 2025. Annerstedt noted that 120 buyers have been identified, with 26 charged so far for buying sex, as they were not aware the woman was participating unwillingly.
Defence Arguments and Technical Details
Martina Michaelsdotter, the accused's lawyer, told AFP her client denies all charges. 'He acknowledges that, to some extent, he has been involved in the plaintiff's business,' she said, adding this involvement followed the plaintiff's instructions and wishes.
'If one were to put a label on that role, I'd say it has been partly administrative and, for example, involved providing support with technical matters,' Michaelsdotter stated. 'There has been no form of coercion or threat, no violence. He has not in any way caused her either psychological or physical suffering, or made her dependent on either alcohol or drugs.'
The defendant did plead guilty to a minor doping charge related to steroids found in his possession.
Investigation Findings and Buyer Involvement
Public broadcaster SVT reported, citing police investigations, that many buyers believed they were chatting with the woman when booking meetings and discussing prices, while the prosecutor argues they were actually communicating with the man.
Some buyers allegedly paid by performing services rather than cash, with one repairing a generator in the couple's recreational vehicle and another providing a horoscope reading.
The trial initially focused on charges against the husband, with other accused individuals scheduled to be called at later dates.
