Swedish court jails man for four years for pressuring wife into mass prostitution

STOCKHOLM – A Swedish court on June 16 sentenced a 61-year-old man to four years and five months in prison for having “ruthlessly exploited” his wife to have sex with scores of men for payment.

The man was convicted of “aggravated pimping” as well as attempted rape, assault and issuing threats, as well as a minor drug offence, the court said in a statement, noting the actions took place over three years.

“The district court has found that the man was the one who initiated the woman’s entry into prostitution and was also the person who handled most of the operation’s administration,” it said.

It also said the actions were considered aggravated because the “plaintiff was ruthlessly exploited”.

The case, in which the prosecutor has said some 120 buyers had been identified, has shocked Sweden.

It has drawn comparisons with France’s Gisele Pelicot, whose husband was convicted in 2024 of drugging her and letting scores of men rape her while she was unconscious.

“The trial has been long and demanding for the parties and others involved. The publicity has also been perceived by many parties as a particular strain,” judge Johan Ahlberg said.

Prosecutor Ida Annerstedt told AFP at the start of the trial in April that the woman had “a serious fear” of her husband.

Annerstedt told the court that the man had warned his wife not to anger him, because then “the monster would be released”.

However, the court dismissed the eight charges of rape against the man.

It said that in seven of the incidents, it was not clear whether her participation had been voluntary, while in one instance it was not clear what sexual acts had taken place.

Out of the 29 people charged with buying sex, 28 had been convicted, the court said. Two of them had been handed prison sentences, while the rest had been given fines or suspended sentences. AFP