This week, federal authorities arrested Howard Rubin, a 70-year-old retired New York City financier with ties to George Soros, at his Fairfield, Connecticut, home, as the New York Post reports. The charges are grave: sex-trafficking at least 10 women over a decade from 2009 to 2019.
Rubin, once a Wall Street titan who managed funds for the Soros Fund, allegedly lured women to upscale NYC hotels and a luxury penthouse near Central Park. This penthouse, disturbingly, was converted into a soundproofed chamber for horrific acts.
Inside the West 57th Street apartment, a red-painted, soundproofed room held devices for electric shocks, a cross, and a bed with restraints. Federal prosecutors claim Rubin bound, beat, and shocked women there, turning wealth into a weapon of cruelty.
Reports indicate some women agreed to safe words to halt proceedings if things escalated too far. Yet, prosecutors allege Rubin disregarded their cries, even continuing when victims lost consciousness. This betrayal of trust is chilling.
Others were gagged, unable to protest, as Rubin allegedly pressed on with his actions. In one appalling case, his violence reportedly caused a woman’s breast implant to flip, after which he paid tens of thousands for repairs.
Perhaps most unsettling, Rubin allegedly justified his behavior to a victim by claiming assault was natural, citing Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. Such twisted logic raises questions about accountability among the elite in progressive circles.
After these encounters, Rubin allegedly paid victims through wire transfers, PayPal, or Venmo, carefully staggering amounts under $10,000 to evade scrutiny. Prosecutors estimate he spent at least $1 million on this alleged trafficking operation.
Brooklyn-based U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella condemned the scheme, stating, “As alleged, the defendants used Rubin’s wealth to mislead and recruit women to engage in commercial sex acts, where Rubin then tortured women beyond their consent, causing lasting physical and/or psychological pain, in some cases physical injuries.” Isn’t it ironic that those who often lecture on privilege can wield it so destructively?
Rubin’s assistant, Jennifer Powers, arrested in Texas on the same day, faces similar sex-trafficking charges. She allegedly scouted women, often former Playboy models, via social media and arranged their travel to New York for these encounters.
To silence victims, Rubin reportedly forced them to sign nondisclosure agreements, stashing them in a safe. This calculated move to shield himself speaks volumes about a culture that sometimes prioritizes reputation over justice.
Powers’ role in this grim affair underscores a network of complicity, raising concerns about how far some will go to enable powerful figures. Rubin also faces a bank fraud charge tied to misrepresentations made while financing Powers’ Texas home mortgage.
Legal woes are not new for Rubin; civil suits alleging violent assaults surfaced in 2017. By 2022, a jury awarded seven plaintiffs $4.47 million, with legal fees of $4.8 million added in February, both under appeal.
While Rubin posted nearly $10 million in bonds for those civil cases, his personal life unraveled -- his wife, Mary J. Henry, filed for divorce in 2021 amid abuse allegations. The fallout from such charges is profound and far-reaching.
Rubin, once a high roller with Salomon Brothers, was set for arraignment in Brooklyn Federal Court on Friday. Under President Donald Trump’s administration, one hopes for a justice system that prioritizes victims over elite connections.
These allegations, dating back nearly a decade in lawsuits, paint a damning picture of unchecked power. As this case unfolds, it’s a stark reminder that true accountability must cut through wealth and influence, no matter the political ties.
