⏱ 3 min read
A ruthless Buffalo club owner is going down for a long, long time after a jury found him guilty of running a sex trafficking operation, bribing a corrupt ex-cop, and tampering with witnesses. 59-year-old Peter Gerace, owner of the notorious Pharaoh’s Gentlemen’s Club, was sentenced to 25 years in prison for his crimes.
Between 2005 and 2019, Gerace used his club as a front to peddle sex and drugs to his dancers, many of whom were coerced into commercial sex acts. He also bribed former DEA Agent Joseph Bongiovanni to keep the heat off his operation. Bongiovanni, who was previously convicted and sentenced to five years, was paid handsomely to use his badge to dissuade other law enforcement from investigating Pharaoh’s.
U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo vowed to continue pursuing individuals who exploit vulnerable people for profit, while the FBI stressed that it’s committed to supporting victims and survivors of human trafficking.
Gerace’s sentencing sends a clear message that those who prey on the vulnerable will be held accountable. For Pharaoh’s dancers, and countless others like them, justice has finally been served.
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- Victor Gonzalez, Sex Trafficking of Minors, New York 2018 · Washington
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📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Sex Crimes
- Defendant: Public Corruption
- Location: NY
- Source: DOJ Press Release
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