Sex Trafficking2010
South Africa ZA
Mark Kozhanow, of the House of Rasputin and the Cape Dance Academy, brought Tatiana Malachi into South Africa to work as an exotic dancer in March 2009. Upon her arrival in the Country, Mark Kozhanow informed Malachi that her passport would be held for 30 days so that they could register her with the police. He then kept her passport for the duration of her employment and said he would not return her passport unless she paid him $2000 for her air ticket and R20,000 as levy. Malachi was unable to pay this as she was not earning sufficient income but was instead was obliged to pay R2,700 per week to the club (House of Rasputin). Over the course of her three month 'employment' Malachi had accumulated R120,940 in debt (this also included a R37,000 charge for the agent who located her). Kozhanow has been quoted saying that he knows the recipe for keeping girls who want to leave because they can not pay their travel debts "Immigration Attorney," Says Kozhanow, "He keeps their passports." After one month of working at the club, Malachi approached her employers and voiced a concern over her mounting debt, she said she felt trapped and wanted to go home, but her the club was not interested and wouldn't return her passport. Malachi did not want to do more the strip dance to earn extra tips.