A tax dodging pimp who faked being a plumber to scam thousands from the government as he was running a string of Romanian prostitutes across Dundee has been jailed.
Eduard Stanciu filed a false claim to the taxman and was given a rebate of £9,840.56 while he was living off the immoral earnings of sex workers from his homeland.
Following the completion of background reports, Stanciu has been locked up for 14 months.
He had initially faced human trafficking charges.
Co-accused Cristina Gaica, who admitted failing to appear in court after more serious charges against her were dropped, was previously admonished.
The court was previously told Stanciu had spent more than £5,000 advertising the brothels on VivaStreet and had taken nearly £20,000 into his account from Ms Gaica’s account.
Partnership
Following the completion of background reports, Stanciu returned to the Dundee Sheriff Court dock to be sentenced.
Fiscal depute Douglas Thomson said: “The Crown accepts he was not the mastermind.
“He was an active participant in facilitating this.
“In the course of this, he was involved in the arrangement of advertising.
“He is in effect the facilitator for the other person involved.”
Defence solicitor Anika Jethwa said: “I think the Crown could accept that… they don’t regard him as the controlling mind in this operation.
“He was assisting.”
Ms Jethwa said the illicit enterprise had been a partnership.
She also pointed out her client spent two months on remand earlier in proceedings.
Sheriff Paul Brown jailed Stanciu for 14 months.
He said: “These are serious matters and I see no alternative to a custodial sentence.”
Stanciu wept as he waved to his co-accused while security officers took him downstairs.
Police probe
The prostitution ring in Dundee was uncovered after police received a tip-off which led to raids on three properties in Blackness Road and Arklay Street in August 2019.
Fiscal depute Stewart Duncan previously told the court Stanciu and Ms Gaica were in a relationship and neither of them had any visible means of income while they were in Scotland.
He said police received a call from a male stating he had been at a brothel on two occasions and they visited two flats on Blackness Road.
“There were six Romanian females within flat A.
“They all confirmed they were not in any danger and were free to go about their business as they wished.
“They all admitted being involved in providing sexual services but denied it was a brothel.
“Flat B had one male (Stanciu) and three females (Ms Gaica and two others).
“None admitted being sex workers.
“An operation was initiated to establish if there was evidence of trafficking, prostitution and associated money laundering offences.
“Stanciu was identified as a potential suspect.
“His two bank accounts showed a high cash turnover and a volume of transfers that were suspicious given his lack of declared income.
“A number of customers were identified as making payment for sexual services and they were all traced by the police.”
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