Swedish man on trial for aggravated pimping and rape over alleged exploitation of wife
A 62-year-old Swedish man went on trial in Harnosand on April 10, accused of exploiting his “vulnerable” wife by pressuring her to sell sex to scores of men for payment. Prosecutors have charged him with aggravated pimping, eight rapes, four attempted rapes and four assaults.
He denies all allegations. The defendant, reportedly a former Hell’s Angel with a tattoo around his eye, was arrested in October 2025 after his wife reported him to police in northern Sweden. He appeared calm in court in a grey chequered shirt as prosecutor Ida Annerstedt read the charges at Angermanlands district court.
The woman did not attend in person; she followed proceedings via video link, with only her lawyer shown to protect her identity. After the indictment was read, the hearing continued behind closed doors.
According to the prosecutor, the man made money for years by pressuring his partner, later wife, “to perform and submit to sexual acts.” He is accused of creating online Annerstedt described the conduct as “ruthless exploitation,” alleging he fostered and sustained a drug addiction, exploited her while she was under the influence of drugs and alcohol, and used threats to ensure compliance.
The indictment states he threatened to kill her if she left and warned that if she angered him “the monster would be released.” Prosecutors say he profited more than 500,000 kronor (S$68,000). The rape counts include one incident in which he allegedly compelled her to have sex with a particular client and several in which he forced her to perform sexual acts on herself for online videos.
Such acts are classed as rape under Swedish law when there is no consent. The alleged offences span Aug 11, 2022, to Oct 21, 2025. Defense lawyer Martina Michaelsdotter said her client rejects the accusations. Under Swedish law, selling sex is not illegal, but paying for sex or facilitating its sale is against the law.
Prosecutors say they have identified 120 buyers and charged 26 with purchasing sex; they were charged only with buying sex as they were not under the impression the woman was participating unwillingly. The case has drawn widespread attention in Sweden, prompting comparisons to the 2024 conviction in France of Gisele Pelicot’s husband, who was found guilty of drugging her and allowing scores of men to rape her while she was unconscious.
Annerstedt has said the woman in the Swedish case had, to some extent, agreed to sell sex but set boundaries, which the defendant allegedly ignored and “steamrollered” after she said no. Proceedings are continuing behind closed doors in Harnosand.