News Releases

May 01, 2009

Philadelphia area man pleads guilty in sex tourism case
ICE international investigation caught prominent businessman exploiting Russian orphans

PHILADELPHIA - Andrew Mogilyansky, 38, of Richboro, Pa., pleaded guilty to one count of traveling for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct and three counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places. An investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) established that Mogilyansky, a wealthy businessman and dual citizen of Russia and the United States, conspired with a Russian citizen, Andrei Tarasov, and at least three others to create a prostitution business in Russia.

From 2002 to 2004 the illicit business, called "Berenika," and which involved young orphan girls, advertised both women and girls for sex. Between December 2003 and January 2004, Mogilyansky also traveled from Philadelphia to Russia for the purpose of engaging in sex with young girls.

Mogilyansky faces a maximum sentence of 78 to 97 months in prison when sentenced on July 30, 2009. Tarasov and the other conspirators were arrested, tried and convicted in Russia in 2004. Tarasov is currently serving a 10-year sentence.

This case is the result of an international investigation led by agents from ICE Office of Investigations in Philadelphia and the Office of the ICE Attache in Moscow along with the St. Petersburg, Russia, Police Department, the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Investigative Committee of the General Prosecutor's Office of the Russian Federation.

This investigation was also part of Operation Predator, a nationwide ICE initiative to protect children from sexual predators, including those who travel overseas for sex with minors, Internet child pornographers, criminal alien sex offenders, and child sex traffickers. Since Operation Predator was launched in July 2003, ICE agents have arrested more than 11,600 individuals, including 1,160 in Texas.

ICE encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2ICE. This hotline is staffed around the clock by investigators.

Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, at 1-800-843-5678 or http://www.cybertipline.com

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-- ICE --

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was established in March 2003 as the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security. ICE is comprised of five integrated divisions that form a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities.

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