Tollywood sex-racket in US: Businessman's wife demanded $2,500 for "3-hrs-2-times"
US officials have revealed a barrage of evidence against a top Telugu businessman-turned-film producer and his wife, who were allegedly running a sex-racket with young Tollywood actresses. In one text conversation recovered, Chandrakala, wife of Modugumudi Kishan, demands $2,500 from a client for "3 hrs 2 times." The 41-page affidavit also alleges they forged letterheads of reputed organizations to lure the girls to Chicago.
The racket was first flagged in November
According to the affidavit, authorities first suspected the racket on November 20, when an actor arrived at Chicago O'Hare International Airport from New Delhi and presented a B1/B2 visa. The visa is given for short-term purpose, like business and medical treatment. She claimed she was attending at a Telugu Association of South California (TASC) event, and a North America Telugu Society (NATS) conference.
Both organizations denied knowing the actor
When investigators contacted TASC, they said they had never invited the actor. Incidentally, the event was on November 18, before she arrived. NATS officials said there was no conference, and that they had never heard of the woman before. When they questioned her, she said she had received official letters from "Raju," and gave them his contact details.
Further probe revealed the MO
When they probed further, they realized Chandrakala and Kishan were forging such documents. "The Modugumudis purchased airline tickets and hotel rooms for the victims, harbored them either at the Modugumudi residence in Chicago, or at hotel rooms across the country," the affidavit states. "They would take the victims to Telugu and other Indian conferences held across the US for purposes of identifying potential customers."
The couple had forged their own documents, investigators found
Chandrakala and Kishan had forged their own visa documents too, officials found. His visa application was rejected twice in 2014 for submitting fake documents. He finally got a six-month visa and traveled to Chicago on April 5, 2015, but never returned. Chandrakala too went on a similar visa on August 11, 2015, which was extended in February'16. Her second request was denied, but she too continued staying.
Raids at their home exposed incriminating material
On February 16, officials searched their residence in Chicago and found 70 condoms, forged permanent-resident and social security cards, and forged letters from the American Telugu Association to the US Consulate General in Hyderabad requesting visas. A handwritten note with the name of a victim was also recovered, with pointers like "room 207," "2 times," "January 19 venkat" and "1000$." Both were arrested in April.
A "Telugu and Kanada major actress" was among the victims
The affidavit lists several proofs, including travel records of victims that show the Modugumudis enabled their travel to the US, statement of a client, statements from victims, text messages, ledgers recording prostitution transactions, and their cellphone and bank records. A model, two actors, an anchor and a "Telugu and Kanada major actress" were some of the victims, it states.
