A man who coordinated prostitution activities throughout Dublin rented eight properties for use as brothels and laundered approximately €320,000 in the process, a court has been told, reports Breaking News.
Stelian Ciuciu (32) pretended to be part of a couple alongside a woman working as an escort in order to lease homes from unsuspecting landlords. He later offered these properties to escorts, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard on Tuesday.
Ciuciu used a WhatsApp group with around 450 members to market the properties to escorts and took an active role in managing the day-to-day operations of the locations. He frequently advised the escorts to act discreetly and avoid attracting notice, according to Detective Garda Colm Grogan from the Organised Prostitution Investigation Unit, reports Breaking News.
Ciuciu, who lives at Brookdale Walk, Swords, Co Dublin, admitted guilt to 20 charges, including facilitating a criminal organisation, organising prostitution, running brothels, using fraudulent documents, and laundering money.
The crimes occurred at various places across the country between January 2020 and November 2023, reports Breaking News.
The court heard that the most serious offence – facilitating a criminal organisation – carries a maximum 15-year prison sentence, while the other charges carry penalties ranging from five to 14 years. Ciuciu has no prior criminal record.
Det Gda Grogan told Mark Lynam SC, for the prosecution, that Ciuciu’s crimes were uncovered when some landlords grew suspicious about how their rented homes were being used and contacted authorities, reports Breaking News.
Gardaí observed that similar rental documents, featuring Ciuciu’s photograph but bearing different names, had been used across several properties. After identifying him, they began surveillance. He was tracked to multiple brothels and financial institutions where he deposited cash.
When officers entered the locations to carry out welfare checks, they confirmed that prostitution was happening at each one, with at least two escorts present in each, the court heard. In total, €320,000 moved through Ciuciu’s bank accounts, reports Breaking News.
Det Gda Grogan said this sum, largely deposited in cash by Ciuciu himself, went toward paying rent on the brothel properties. None of the accounts showed any personal profits. Upon his arrest in November 2023, €11,000 in cash was discovered during a search of his residence.
In response to a question from Judge Martin Nolan regarding Ciuciu’s earnings from the scheme, Det Gda Grogan noted that escorts typically paid up to €1,000 per week for use of a property. The court was told that investigations into the whereabouts of any potential profits are ongoing, reports Breaking News.
The court heard that Ciuciu submitted forged documents, including fake Romanian IDs and falsified employment references, to secure the rental properties. These led to the charges related to using false instruments.
Together with the escort pretending to be his partner, Ciuciu provided employer references from a garage and a beauty salon. Individuals in these businesses, described as “complicit” in the offences, provided false references when contacted, the court heard. No one from these businesses has yet been charged, reports Breaking News.
Ciuciu’s associate, referred to in court as Ms N, has since left the country, the court was told.
In a plea for leniency, Michael Lynn SC, defending, said Ciuciu had been living in Ireland for several years and has been in custody since his arrest. His wife and their three young children have faced significant hardship as a result, the court heard, reports Breaking News.
He was described in court as a stateless Roma individual born in Germany, whose family had renounced German citizenship. Defence counsel stated that Ciuciu is legally living in Ireland under a stateless status application.
Mr Lynn added that Ciuciu is “extremely concerned about his future residence” given the outcome of the case, reports Breaking News.
The court was given apology letters from both Ciuciu and his wife. It also heard that he had experienced racism and discrimination, making it difficult for him to find work. He is reportedly doing well in prison and has enrolled in educational programmes.
The migrant was given 8 years in jail.
Tell us your thoughts in the Facebook post and share this with your friends.
