Leader of Internet Prostitution Business Sentenced to 51 Months in Prison

ALEXANDRIA, VA—Kuraye Tamunoibi Akuiyibo, 33, of New York, New York, and Miami, Florida, was sentenced today to 51 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for his involvement in an Internet prostitution business. The defendant was also ordered to forfeit a sum of $1.6 million, a portion of which will be satisfied by the forfeiture of a 2009 Aston Martin DB9, a 2006 Land Rover, multiple men’s watches, and diamond jewelry.

Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; James W. McJunkin, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office; and J. Thomas Manger, Montgomery County Chief of Police, made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema. Akuiyibo pled guilty on May 16, 2012.

According to court documents, in late 2008, Akuiyibo established Classy DC Escorts, an Internet prostitution business operating in Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia, New York, and Ohio. Akuiyibo recruited prostitutes for his business from throughout the United States and Canada through online advertising. Akuiyibo hired employees who booked appointments between the clients and prostitutes and collected money. At Akuiyibo’s direction, the prostitutes charged $300 for a one-hour “date,” of which 60 percent was kept by the prostitute and 40 percent was given to Classy DC Escorts.

Between 2009 and 2011, Classy DC Escorts employed over 100 prostitutes and received over $4 million in cash. To allay suspicion that he was generating illegal proceeds from a prostitution business, Akuiyibo opened bank accounts under false names and deposited proceeds from his prostitution business into the accounts. The defendant used a portion of the prostitution proceeds for travel, the purchase of an Aston Martin automobile, and luxury jewelry and watches for himself and his girlfriend.

In September 2010, Akuiyibo learned that a Classy employee was making plans to open a rival prostitution business. The defendant confronted the employee and assaulted him in an effort to maintain his position of authority as the owner and operator of Classy DC Escorts.

This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and Montgomery County Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Kimberly Riley Pedersen and Patricia Haynes prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/vae.