The Toronto Police Service would like to make the public aware of arrests made in a human trafficking investigation.
On Monday, January 14, 2019, officers started an investigation into human trafficking that occurred throughout southern Ontario.
It is alleged that:
- the 27-year-old woman met a man on New Year’s Eve 2018
- he introduced himself as “Nekko”
- he arranged to her in Toronto
- the 27-year-old woman was introduced to another woman
- she was then taken to a mall where items of lingerie were bought for her
- she was then taken to a hotel where she was forced to put on the lingerie and pose for photos
- the photos were posted on Leolist.com, advertising sexual services
- both the man and the woman would communicate with clients, pretending to be the 27-year-old woman and organize each "date" with the clients
- the man would dictate what sexual services were to be provided, for how long, and how much money to collect
- between January 1, and January 14, 2019, the 27-year-old woman was taken to numerous hotels in Southern Ontario and forced to provide sexual services against her will
- all of her personal items and money were taken by the man and woman
On Tuesday, January 22, 2019, officers executed a search warrant in the city of Toronto. A number of items were seized and two people arrested.
Brian Hubert Richards, 36, of Toronto, is charged with:
1. Trafficking in Persons by Recruiting
2. Receive Material Benefit
3. Procuring
4. Exercise Control
5. Material Benefit from Sexual Services
6. Advertising Another Person’s Sexual Services
7. Uttering Threats
8. Theft Under
9. Possession of a Schedule I Substance
Jennifer Sczembora, 37, of Alberta, is charged with:
1. Trafficking in Persons by Recruiting
2. Receive Material Benefit
3. Procuring
4. Exercise Control
5. Material Benefit from Sexual Services
6. Advertising Another Person’s Sexual Services
7. Uttering Threats
8. Theft Under
9. Possession of a Schedule I Substance
They appeared in court at Old City Hall on Wednesday, January 23, 2019, at 10 a.m., in room 101.
Police are concerned there may be other victims.
Police would like to encourage all affected individuals to come forward and report Human Trafficking occurrences to police. We want to make sure that everyone has access to support services and an exit strategy, regardless of their decision to proceed criminally.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-7474, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), online at www.222tips.com, online on our Facebook Leave a Tip page, or text TOR and your message to CRIMES (274637). Download the free Crime Stoppers Mobile App on iTunes, Google Play or Blackberry App World.
Human Trafficking means every person who recruits, transports, transfers, receives, holds, conceals or harbours a person, or exercises control, direction or influence over the movements of a person, for the purpose of exploiting them or facilitating their exploitation, for a sexual purpose or a forced labour purpose. Victims can be men, women or children; can be Canadian citizens; and can be moved across local, provincial or national borders. They can be coerced through violence or the threat of violence against family and friends. The Human Trafficking Enforcement Team of Sex Crimes is dedicated to investigating these crimes against vulnerable members of society. For more information, please visit the Sex Crimes website.
For more news, visit TPSnews.ca.
On Monday, January 14, 2019, officers started an investigation into human trafficking that occurred throughout southern Ontario.
It is alleged that:
- the 27-year-old woman met a man on New Year’s Eve 2018
- he introduced himself as “Nekko”
- he arranged to her in Toronto
- the 27-year-old woman was introduced to another woman
- she was then taken to a mall where items of lingerie were bought for her
- she was then taken to a hotel where she was forced to put on the lingerie and pose for photos
- the photos were posted on Leolist.com, advertising sexual services
- both the man and the woman would communicate with clients, pretending to be the 27-year-old woman and organize each "date" with the clients
- the man would dictate what sexual services were to be provided, for how long, and how much money to collect
- between January 1, and January 14, 2019, the 27-year-old woman was taken to numerous hotels in Southern Ontario and forced to provide sexual services against her will
- all of her personal items and money were taken by the man and woman
On Tuesday, January 22, 2019, officers executed a search warrant in the city of Toronto. A number of items were seized and two people arrested.
Brian Hubert Richards, 36, of Toronto, is charged with:
1. Trafficking in Persons by Recruiting
2. Receive Material Benefit
3. Procuring
4. Exercise Control
5. Material Benefit from Sexual Services
6. Advertising Another Person’s Sexual Services
7. Uttering Threats
8. Theft Under
9. Possession of a Schedule I Substance
Jennifer Sczembora, 37, of Alberta, is charged with:
1. Trafficking in Persons by Recruiting
2. Receive Material Benefit
3. Procuring
4. Exercise Control
5. Material Benefit from Sexual Services
6. Advertising Another Person’s Sexual Services
7. Uttering Threats
8. Theft Under
9. Possession of a Schedule I Substance
They appeared in court at Old City Hall on Wednesday, January 23, 2019, at 10 a.m., in room 101.
Police are concerned there may be other victims.
Police would like to encourage all affected individuals to come forward and report Human Trafficking occurrences to police. We want to make sure that everyone has access to support services and an exit strategy, regardless of their decision to proceed criminally.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-7474, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), online at www.222tips.com, online on our Facebook Leave a Tip page, or text TOR and your message to CRIMES (274637). Download the free Crime Stoppers Mobile App on iTunes, Google Play or Blackberry App World.
Human Trafficking means every person who recruits, transports, transfers, receives, holds, conceals or harbours a person, or exercises control, direction or influence over the movements of a person, for the purpose of exploiting them or facilitating their exploitation, for a sexual purpose or a forced labour purpose. Victims can be men, women or children; can be Canadian citizens; and can be moved across local, provincial or national borders. They can be coerced through violence or the threat of violence against family and friends. The Human Trafficking Enforcement Team of Sex Crimes is dedicated to investigating these crimes against vulnerable members of society. For more information, please visit the Sex Crimes website.
For more news, visit TPSnews.ca.