September 27, 2025 MANHATTAN, NY — A bombshell indictment has rocked the financial elite, with federal prosecutors in New York unveiling a horrifying $1 million-plus sex trafficking enterprise allegedly run by a retired New York City financier and his longtime personal assistant.
Howard Rubin, 70, a former titan of Wall Street, and Jennifer Powers, 45, his assistant, were arrested Friday on a sweeping 10-count indictment that includes charges of sex trafficking and transporting women across state lines for sex. The allegations paint a dark picture of abuse spanning a decade, involving women—including former Playboy models—lured to New York for what officials describe as "commercial sexual torture."
The Alleged Operation: From Penthouse to "Dungeon"
The arrests of Rubin in Fairfield, Connecticut, and Powers in the Dallas-Fort Worth suburb of Southlake, Texas, capped an intensive investigation. Prosecutors allege that from 2009 to 2019, the duo ran a highly organized trafficking network, arranging for women to travel to New York City to engage in sex with Rubin.
The venues for these encounters were not discreet motel rooms, but Rubin's own luxury penthouse on 57th Street and opulent hotels.
The most disturbing claim? Prosecutors allege Rubin converted a bedroom of his penthouse into a soundproof sex "dungeon," where he engaged in sadomasochistic sexual acts. Court papers detail the horrifying use of a device to allegedly shock or electrocute the women during these encounters.
The Assistant's Role and NDAs
Powers, according to prosecutors, was the enterprise's alleged engine. She is accused of arranging for the women to be flown to New York and, critically, ensured they signed non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) to maintain silence.
"This was not a one-man show," stated IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Chavis. "While Rubin dehumanized these women with abhorrent sexual acts, Powers is alleged to have run the day-to-day operations of the enterprise and got paid generously for her efforts."
Abused, Threatened, and Silenced
The indictment includes harrowing details of alleged manipulation and coercion. Prosecutors claim Rubin would ignore "safe words" the women were given to stop the encounter, or that they were unable to speak it because they were bound and gagged.
Adding to the trauma, Rubin is accused of encouraging the women to consume alcohol and take drugs like sedatives, leading some victims to claim they were unable to consent due to lack of consciousness. Perhaps most chillingly, he allegedly threatened them with legal consequences and public shaming if they sought legal recourse.
"The defendants allegedly exploited Rubin's status to ensnare their prospective victims and forced them to endure unthinkable physical trauma before silencing any outcries with threats of legal recourse," said FBI Assistant Director Raia.
A History of Allegations and Bank Fraud
These federal charges follow a civil case in 2017, where a jury awarded more than $500,000 to each of several women who sued Rubin, Powers, and others over similar claims.
