Manhattan apartment alleged as scene of violent sexual assaults by private equity executive, according to prosecutors.
Holding Cell Tales: The Depraved Dominance of Ryan Hemphill
NEW YORK - In a chilling case of power and control, a affluent private equity exec, Ryan Hemphill, has been locked in the dock for turning his NYC apartment into a no-holds-barred torture chamber. Manhattan's legal eagles alleged that Hemphill, a veteran lawyer, orchestrated a sickening orgy of sexual violence on six hapless women across five monstrous months.
Hemphill, 43, faced a 116-count indictment this April, pleading innocence to charges of predatory sexual assault, assault, and other heinous deeds. The jurors were stunned as details of his alleged misdeeds unfolded, painting a grotesque tapestry of violence, manipulation, and perversion.
The accused, clad in a khaki jail jumpsuit, sat quiet as a mouse, his wrists cuffed and clutching a cross, while district attorney Alvin Bragg spelled out the horrors. If found guilty, Hemphill could spend the rest of his days behind bars.
This isn't the first time Hemphill has brushed with the law. Back in 2015, he escaped conviction for choking and threatening his ex-girlfriend with a blade. He testified that he derived pleasure from strangling her during intimacy.
The scene of the crime was Hemphill's apartment near the Empire State Building—an abode outfitted with dozens of cameras that allegedly captured scores of unsuspecting women, many naked and blindfolded, Assistant District Attorney Mirah Curzer argued in court.
Investigators also found a veritable arsenal of weapons and drugs, including heroin, cocaine, amphetamines, and fentanyl, prosecutors stated.
Hemphill targeted his victims through pick-up joints on the web, Curzer revealed, nabbing him some sugar daddies and other wealthy suitors looking for companionship. Hemphill claimed he was into role play and dominance, promising the women hefty sums to indulge him sexually.
But Hemphill was anything but an upstanding partner or dominator. He reportedly tricked some victims into ingesting substances that left them defenseless, then bound them, gagged them, and tortured them.
He boasted connections to law enforcement and organized crime to intimidate his victims, telling them they'd be accused if they spoke up. He even penned a contract agreeing to pay one woman $2,000 to drop a police complaint, charging him with bribing a witness.
Hemphill is accused of making some victims film themselves consents to their own abuse. His behavior was said to be "truly shocking to the conscience" and he was deemed a flight risk, given his resources and standing in society.
Hemphill's illicit actions mirrored those of disgraced mogul Harvey Weinstein, whose rape trial was underway just feet away from Hemphill's arraignment.
Judge Ann E. Scherzer granted the prosecutor's request and kept Hemphill imprisoned without bail, fearing he'd use his wealth and connections to disappear. His attorney petitioned for rehab to address his substance abuse issues, but Scherzer felt it wasn't enough.
Bragg commented, "The power imbalance in Hemphill's acts could not be more clear. He used his law degree, money, and influence to coerce and silence victims." Hemphill's actions underscored his "disregard for the law and the court," and potentially hinted at more victims waiting to speak up.
- Ryan Hemphill, the accused private equity exec, was indicted for a series of heinous acts, including predatory sexual assault and assault, in a case that turned Manhattan's legal focus to his violence and manipulation.
- Evidence presented in court detailed a grotesque tapestry of sexual violence, allegedly orchestrated by Hemphill over five months, leaving six women traumatized.
- Prosecutors claimed that Hemphill's apartment, equipped with numerous cameras, was a hotbed of unsuspecting victims, many of whom were found naked and blindfolded.
- Investigators uncovered an arsenal of weapons and drugs in his apartment, including heroin, cocaine, amphetamines, and fentanyl.
- Hemphill utilized online pick-up joints to attract his victims, promising wealthy suitors large sums for sexual favors, only to exploit and abuse them.
- In a chilling example of his manipulation, Hemphill reportedly forced some victims to film their own consents to abuse, using his wealth and connections to intimidate them into silence.
