Swede forced wife to have sex with 120 men – four years' imprisonment in Härnösand
A 61-year-old Swede was sentenced to four years and five months in prison for exploiting his drug-dependent wife for prostitution.
Härnösand court convicts 61-year-old of serious pimping
A Swedish court has sentenced a 61-year-old man to four years and five months in prison for forcing his wife to have paid sex with at least 120 men. As reported by DER SPIEGEL (Justice & Crime), the court in Härnösand found the defendant guilty of serious pimping, attempted rape, assault, threats and a drug offence. The court found that he had "ruthlessly exploited" his wife over many years.
The case had prompted comparisons in Sweden with crimes in the French Pelicot case: Gisèle Pelicot was repeatedly drugged by her husband over years and left for gang rape by dozens of men.
According to the indictment, the man made his wife compliant through drug and alcohol addiction. Prosecutor Ida Annerstedt stated at the beginning of the trial in April that the woman had also been in "great fear" of her husband. He is said to have threatened her, telling her that if she angered him, "the monster would be let loose".
Via the internet, the defendant offered his wife for sex in exchange for money. Between 2022 and 2025, he earned more than 500,000 Swedish kronor, approximately 46,000 euros, according to the indictment. Judge Johan Ahlberg established in his verdict that the man had "organised the woman's entry into prostitution" and had also taken charge of the "majority of the organisation".
The prosecution had originally demanded ten years' imprisonment and had also charged the defendant with rape in eight cases. However, Judge Ahlberg acquitted him of these charges: in seven cases it had been unclear whether the woman had consented to sexual intercourse; in the eighth case it could not be established what sexual acts had been performed.
In the course of the investigation, 120 men were identified who had paid for sex with the woman. According to the court, 29 of them could be prosecuted, and 28 were convicted. Two received custodial sentences; the remainder received fines or suspended sentences.
In Sweden, the sale of sex is not punishable; however, purchasing paid sexual services is. Promoting or financially profiting from prostitution is also illegal under Swedish law.