From today's decision by Judge Jeffrey Helmick (N.D. Ohio) in Doe 1 v. Gupta:
On March 19, 2020, Manish Raj Gupta was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1591(a) and (b)(1), and one count of illegally dispensing a controlled substance, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(7). These charges arose from allegations that Manish had surreptitiously drugged women before engaging in sex acts with them without their consent. Manish subsequently pled guilty to both charges and my colleague, Judge James G. Carr, sentenced him to serve 235 months in prison.
On June 26, 2022, two of Manish's alleged victims initiated this litigation, asserting claims against Manish, his father (Raj Gupta), and his now-former wife (Shraddha Gupta) for: (1) Forced Labor under 18 U.S.C. §§ 1589 and 1595; (2) Trafficking with respect to Peonage, Slavery, Involuntary Servitude, or Forced Labor under 18 U.S.C. §§ 1590 and 1595; (3) Human Trafficking Pursuant to California Civil Code § 52.5; (4) Action by Victim in Human Trafficking pursuant to Nevada Revised Statutes Annotated § 41.1399; (5) Human Trafficking pursuant to Ohio Revised Code § 2905.32; (6) Forced Labor and Labor Trafficking, Michigan Human Trafficking Victims Protection Act M.C.L. § 752.983, § 750.462(b); and (7) fraudulent transfer, pursuant to Ohio Revised Code § 1336.04….
Manish previously was a board-certified plastic surgeon and owner of Artisan Surgery Center, LLC. Plaintiffs allege Manish began drugging and sexually assaulting women, including women like Plaintiffs who worked as escorts, as early as 2013. Manish allegedly used prescription drugs he obtained through his medical practice to incapacitate the women before filming himself performing sexual acts with them.
The court allowed the claim to go forward against the rapist, but not the wife:
