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A private equity executive is facing accusations of rape and assault against six women in his New York City residence over a five-month period. Prosecutors suggest there could be additional victims of the alleged crimes. This case highlights issues of sexual assault and the potential abuse of power and wealth in Manhattan.
Private Equity Exec Charged with Rape, Assault in New York
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office revealed a 116-count indictment in the New York State Supreme Court on Thursday, charging Ryan Hemphill, 43, with predatory sexual assault, rape, and assault, among other charges. These alleged offenses reportedly began on October 3.
Arrest and Arraignment Details
Hemphill was taken into custody on March 1 and has remained in custody since. He appeared in court for his arraignment on Thursday.
- He entered a plea of not guilty.
- The judge mandated that he remain incarcerated.
District Attorney’s Statement
“The defendant informed these survivors that he believed he was untouchable,” District Attorney Bragg stated during a Thursday news conference. “The indictment unequivocally demonstrates that he was mistaken.”
Allegations of Abuse and Control
Prosecutors assert that Hemphill exploited his affluence and influence as a tool, allegedly beating and drugging women to subdue them. He is also accused of threatening them with firearms and knives, as well as employing a shock collar and cattle prod, before sexually assaulting them in what Bragg described as “hours of physical and sexual violence.”
Details of the Alleged Abuse
In certain instances, prosecutors claim that Hemphill requested the women to disclose their past sexual traumas, subsequently reenacting these events. He is also alleged to have documented the sexual acts using video cameras throughout his midtown Manhattan apartment.
Evidence Discovered
Authorities, acting under a warrant, searched Hemphill’s apartment and discovered:
- High-capacity magazines
- Hundreds of rounds of ammunition
- A cattle prod
- Substantial quantities of drugs
- Surveillance cameras containing videos of numerous women, according to the DA’s office.
Potential Additional Victims
“We have reason to believe that there may be more survivors,” Bragg stated. He further added that “dozens, if not hundreds, of women are captured on that footage.” This raises significant concerns about the scale of the alleged crimes.
Accusations of Manipulation and Coercion
Prosecutors said that Hemphill informed the women he was highly connected and boasted about his status as an attorney, insisting that because they accepted money he offered, they would be the ones who were arrested.
- In one instance, Hemphill purportedly agreed to compensate a woman $2,000 in return for her withdrawing a police complaint, prosecutors claimed.
- They also alleged he compelled the women to record videos affirming their consent to the sexual acts to ensure he would have proof of their consent if they chose to speak out against him.
“The power disparity in his predatory behavior could not be more evident,” Bragg remarked on Thursday.
Modus Operandi: Online Encounters and Deception
Prosecutors revealed that Hemphill met the women online, promising them “large sums of money” in exchange for sexual activity. In numerous instances, he either failed to pay the women or compensated them using counterfeit currency, according to prosecutors.
Past Legal Troubles
In 2015, Hemphill was acquitted of charges involving choking and holding a knife to his former girlfriend’s throat.
Potential Sentence and Current Status
If convicted, Hemphill could face a life term in prison.
At the arraignment on Thursday, Judge Ann E. Scherzer decreed that Hemphill would remain jailed without the possibility of bail. His legal representative, a public defender, requested the judge to transfer Hemphill to a rehabilitation center to address substance abuse problems.
Scherzer stated that incarcerating Hemphill was the sole means of ensuring his return to court, given that the behaviors outlined by prosecutors demonstrate the “extent to which he is willing to go to protect himself from facing these charges.”