Man jailed for running ‘Jazeera’ Telegram prostitution ring

One of the alleged operators of a network of Telegram channels used to run crimes including sex and drug trafficking, has been sentenced to four years in prison and ordered to pay half a million Rufiyaa in fines.

In March 2024, the police took down multiple channels created via Telegram account ‘Jazeera Admin’; including ‘Jazeera’, ‘Jazeera Escort Gallery’, and ‘Jazeera Girls’, which was used to promote sex trafficking and drug trafficking.

The channels, which had been up since 2023, had over 5,000 subscribers when they were shut down by the police.

Ibrahim Rasheed (Dhafthar no. 12966), was one of three suspects arrested by the police in connection to the case. Charges against all three were filed with the Criminal Court in June 2024.

Ibrahim Rasheed was pressed with four charges; distributing pornographic content, money laundering, facilitating prostitution, and knowingly profiting off prostitution.

Ibrahim Rasheed signed a plea deal with the Prosecutor Generation’s Office, under which he pled guilty to money laundering and knowingly using money gained from prostitution.

The Criminal Court found Ibrahim Rasheed guilty of both charges on July 16, sentencing him to one year and six months in prison for profiting off prostitution and two years and six months in prison and a fine of MVR 462,637.61 for money laundering.

Meanwhile, his alleged cohorts - Nishany Ali (Rehendhige, Th. Veymandhoo) and Aisar Naseem (Veleege, GDh, Rathafandhoo) – remain on trial in the case.

The police had said that they earned around MVR 9 million using the channels.