In Odessa, three women were convicted of pimping and operating brothels

In Odesa, three women were sentenced to five years in prison for participating in an organized group that engaged in pimping and operated brothels. 

On October 20, 2026, the Kyiv District Court of Odessa handed down a verdict in a case involving the organization of paid sexual services and pimping. According to the case file, the group operated in the city from August to October 2023.

According to the prosecution, the organizer recruited a co-organizer and operatives who served as operators and administrators. Two non-residential premises were rented to provide sexual services, and advertisements were posted online and on Telegram to attract clients.

According to the investigation, at least 13 women were involved in providing sexual services. The cost of the services ranged from 1,200 to 1,500 hryvnias per hour. Half of the amount received from the client was given to the woman providing the service, and the rest was deposited into a common fund for subsequent distribution among the group members.

The three defendants who appeared in court in this case pleaded guilty and expressed remorse. Two of them were found guilty of operating brothels for profit and pimping as part of an organized group. The third was found guilty of pimping as part of an organized group.

The court sentenced each of the women to five years of imprisonment without confiscation of property but suspended the sentences for a three-year probationary period. Among the circumstances the court considered when determining the sentence were the absence of prior convictions and sincere remorse. One of the defendants is currently serving in the military as a sniper under mobilization and has two minor children to support.

The verdict may be appealed to the Odesa Court of Appeals within 30 days of its announcement.

Анна Літман