A Hungarian gang who sexually exploited potentially hundreds of women have been jailed after a victim escaped a brothel and confided in police.
The woman, now 26, was sold, sexually exploited and raped over a period of six years after striking up a relationship with Jeno Burai in Hungary.
The 30-year-old soon became abusive, beating her and threatening to kill her before forcing her to work as a prostitute in Hungary and Austria.
She was brought to the UK in July 2013 where she was made to sleep with more than 10 men a day at a Peterborough brothel.
Burai then sold her to Zsolt Blaga, 38, in order to settle a debt, telling him to beat her if she did not do as she was told.
Blaga took the woman to a brothel in Church Road, Manor Park, where he raped her twice and forced her to have sex with men.
But when she was left alone in the house on October 31, 2013, she escaped over the garden fence and went to Ilford police station.
The subsequent investigation established that Blaga and Burai were part of a much wider criminal network.
Evidence suggests as many as 250 women were trafficked and sexually exploited at 50 brothels in London and Peterborough.
The women were first brought to the “hub” of the business on Godwin Road in Wanstead,
Blaga, who lived in Hungary, was jailed for 14 years at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday, July 16 after being found guilty of three counts of conspiracy to traffick into the UK, and two counts each of of conspiracy to traffick within the UK, conspiracy to control prostitution and rape.
Burai, also of Hungary, was sentenced to six years and eight months in prison for admitting two counts of conspiracy to traffick person into the UK and conspiracy to control prostitution.
Det Ch Insp Phil Brewer said: “The victim’s courage in escaping the gang and telling police about what happened to her has ultimately resulted in this international investigation and the gang being jailed.
“I hope that this will give other victims of exploitation the courage to come forward and seek the help of our specially trained officers.”
Nine other members of the gang were jailed for a combined total of 34 years and six months.
Agnes Szilli, 28, of Woodgrange Road, Forest Gate, helped take photos of the victims and place them on websites.
She also kept details of the brothels’ accounts.
She pleaded guilty to conspiracy to control prostitution and has been jailed for one year and eight months.
Zoltan Hogenadler 40, also of Woodgrange Road, Forest Gate, recruited men to provide security at the brothels and drove women from address to address.
He was convicted of conspiracy to control prostitution and two counts each of conspiracy to traffick into the UK and conspiracy to traffick within the UK. He has been jailed for five years.
Monika Zoltai, 44, of Second Avenue, helped run the brothels including collecting the money made.
She pleaded guilty to conspiracy to two counts of conspiracy to traffick into the UK and conspiracy to control prostitution and has been jailed for four years.
Her husband Istvan Szilli, 46, of Second Avenue, Plaistow, helped maintain the brothels.
He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to control prostitution and was sentenced to one year and eight months imprisonment.
Melinda Jeger, 31, of St Michael’s House, Lambkin Mews, Walthamstow pleaded guilty to conspiracy to control prostitution and was sentenced to one year and eight months imprisonment.
Erno Milankovics, 53, also of St Michael’s House, Lambkin Mews, Walthamstow, pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to traffick into the UK and conspiracy to control prostitution, for which he was sentenced to six years and eight months imprisonment.
Zoltan Pamminger, 46, of Winchester Road, Brent, admitted the same charges and was jailed for five years and four months.
Natalie Csendes, 29 of St Paul’s Road, Peterborough, was convicted of the same charges Milankovics and Pamminger admitted to and was jailed for three years and six months.
Csaba Kovacs, 32, of Hungary, was convicted of two counts of conspiracy to traffick into the UK,conspiracy to traffick within the UK and conspiracy to control prostitution and jailed for five years.
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