Owner of D.C.-Area Prostitution Ring Sentenced

The owner of an online prostitution ring that generated almost $2 million from across metropolitan Washington has been sentenced to almost three years in prison.

Otasowie Asuen, 32, of Washington, pleaded guilty in June to a racketeering offense in federal court in Alexandria. He admitted employing more than 50 prostitutes recruited from across North America through ads on the Craigslist and Backpage websites.

In 2009 Asuen started the escort service, which operated under the names Prime DC and DMV INDYS, after losing his job at a law firm.

The prostitutes kept 60 percent of the money they received, and Asuen kept 40 percent.

Asuen also partnered with the operator of the online prostitution service Classy DC Escorts, 33-year old Kuraye Tamunoibi Akuiyibo, who employed more than 100 prostitutes, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The two shared information about their clients, employees and money collectors.

Akuiyibo pleaded guilty to the same charges as Asuen May 16. He admitted assaulting an employee he believed was going to start a rival prostitution business and pleaded guilty to violent crime in aid of racketeering. He was sentenced Aug. 2 to 51 months.

Asuen apologized for his actions and said he was motivated by greed.

The 33-month sentence was in line with what prosecutors had sought.