Benjamin Biancofiori, Sex Trafficking by Force, Illinois 2007

Benjamin Biancofiori, 38, of Naperville, Illinois, was convicted by a federal jury on 14 of 15 counts of sex trafficking after a harrowing trial that exposed a decade-long scheme of violence, coercion, and exploitation. The charges stem from a brutal operation between 2007 and 2016 where Biancofiori violently forced women into commercial sex acts, using beatings, threats, and deception to maintain control.

According to evidence presented in court, Biancofiori lured victims with false promises of financial security, only to steal nearly all the money they earned. He routinely assaulted the women, punching and beating them into submission. In one shocking incident, when a victim attempted to flee, Biancofiori orchestrated her return at gunpoint—an act that underscored the terror embedded in his operation.

Biancofiori ran his trafficking ring primarily from residences in Chicago’s western suburbs. He posted victims’ photos and details on commercial sex websites including Backpage.com and Craigslist.com, and used social media to recruit more women into his network. He arranged for the women to travel across the U.S., servicing clients in multiple cities, while keeping them isolated and under his thumb.

The jury found Biancofiori guilty of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, threats, fraud, or coercion; engaging in sex trafficking by force; and obstructing enforcement of the sex trafficking statute. He has been in federal custody since his arrest in May 2016. The charges carry a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life. Sentencing is scheduled for May 30, 2018, before U.S. District Judge Harry D. Leinenweber at 9:45 a.m.

Five victims delivered emotional testimony during the trial, detailing the physical and psychological abuse they endured. Their courage helped dismantle a network built on fear and exploitation. Biancofiori’s operation was not a solo act—two co-defendants, Marcus Willis, 39, of Wheaton, and Nathan Perez, 32, of West Chicago, previously pleaded guilty to conspiring with him in the sex trafficking scheme. Judge Leinenweber will set their sentencing dates separately.

The conviction was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Jeffrey S. Sallet, FBI Special Agent in Charge; and Gabriel L. Grchan, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent-in-Charge. Critical support came from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado, the Denver FBI office, Carol Stream Police Department, and Naperville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Abigail Peluso and Erika Csicsila led the prosecution.

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