A 61-year-old Swedish man has been sentenced to four years and five months in prison for coercing his wife into engaging in sexual acts with more than 120 men. The case has drawn comparisons to the infamous Dominique Pelicot case in France.
Details of the Case
The man, whose identity has not been disclosed, was found guilty of multiple charges including aggravated pimping, attempted rape, assault, and unlawful threats. The trial took place in the Ångermanland region of northern Sweden, with the district court in Härnösand hearing the proceedings.
The court was told that the man dominated his wife by supplying her with drugs, confining her to their isolated farm in Kramfors, and exploiting her limited social network. He also installed surveillance cameras throughout the property to film sexual encounters and made death threats, including vows to douse her with petrol, set her alight, and sever her fingers.
Additional Charges
In addition to the primary accused, 29 individuals were charged with buying sexual services. Twenty-eight of them were found guilty of a combined 56 violations, with two receiving prison sentences. Prosecutors revealed that the men traveled from across Sweden to the farm to have sex with the victim in 2022. The woman's ordeal only ended when she contacted police about her husband in October 2025.
The man has been in custody since October following the woman's testimony. Prosecutors stated earlier this year that he was suspected of trafficking his wife's sexual services to at least 120 men.
Comparisons to Dominique Pelicot Case
The case has been compared to that of Dominique Pelicot in France, who sedated his then-wife, Gisele, and allowed dozens of men to rape her over a nine-year period. Following a hearing that concluded in late May, the court cleared the defendant of eight charges of rape and three more of attempted rape. It stated it could not confirm in seven instances that the complainant's involvement was against her will, and in another case, it was unclear what sexual acts had occurred.
The court determined that the man influenced and coerced his wife into performing sexual acts on herself, broadcasting them online, receiving additional sex buyers, and attempting to persuade neighbors and customers to have sex with her. Judge Johan Ahlberg noted that this was often done through prolonged nagging and the use of unpleasant and condescending language.
Compensation and Denial
In addition to the prison term, the man was instructed to pay damages of 200,000 kronor ($21,300) to the woman. He has refuted any wrongdoing and asserted he was facilitating consensual encounters. Swedish law makes the purchase and procurement of sex illegal but does not criminalize the selling of sex by sex workers, who are viewed as exploited victims.
