Detriot, Michigan, United States
Michail Aronov, 34, a Lithuanian national, was sentenced to 7 1/2 years in prison for his role as a ringleader in an involuntary servitude and money laundering conspiracy. He was the last of nine convicted defendants to be sentenced for crimes associated with this conspiracy. He was convicted for conspiring to violate the civil rights of Eastern European women by forcing them to work as exotic dancers in Detroit-area strip clubs, as well as immigration and money laundering conspiracies. Aronov was also ordered to pay more than $1 million in restitution to the victims. The court had previously ordered Aronov’s henchman, Aleksandr Maksimenko, to reimburse the dancers a total of $1,570,450. The court also ordered that $537,043 in cash seized from Maksimenko’s home and safety deposit boxes, as well as about $30,000 worth of jewelry, be used to satisfy a portion of the restitution award. Maksimenko received a 14-year prison sentence. His father, Venyamin Gonikman, remains a fugitive. Three other individuals were also previously sentenced as a part of this conspiracy.