HÄRNÖSAND — A 61-year-old man from Sweden's Ångermanland province has been sentenced to four years and five months in prison after being found guilty of ruthlessly exploiting his wife by forcing her to provide sexual services to more than 120 men. The ruling, delivered by the court in Härnösand on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, concludes a case that has shocked the nation.

The court convicted the man of several serious offenses, including aggravated pimping, attempted rape, assault, and unlawful threats. Prosecutors successfully argued that the defendant established a coercive business at their secluded farm in Kramfors starting in 2022. By utilizing surveillance cameras, threatening the woman with extreme violence including death and mutilation and isolating her from her social network, the man maintained total control over her actions.

Evidence presented during the trial revealed that the man frequently plied his wife with drugs and used derogatory language to compel her to participate in sexual encounters with men who traveled to their home from across the country. According to public broadcaster SVT, the woman ultimately managed to escape by utilizing a blind spot in the home’s surveillance system to alert the police in October 2025.

While the defendant consistently denied the charges throughout the trial, claiming the sexual encounters were consensual, the court found his defense lacked credibility. The presiding judges ruled that he had "ruthlessly exploited" his spouse for financial gain and control.

Beyond the primary defendant, the court also held the purchasers of these sexual acts accountable. Out of the 120 men identified as customers, 28 were convicted of purchasing sexual services. Most of these individuals had denied the allegations, yet the court handed down a mix of prison time, suspended sentences, and probation to the group.

In addition to his prison term, the 61-year-old was ordered to pay 200,000 krona (approximately £15,900) in damages to his wife. While the court dismissed eight counts of rape due to insufficient evidence regarding involuntary participation under strict legal definitions, the conviction for attempted rape and the broader pattern of abuse stands as a definitive legal rebuke of the defendant’s actions.