HARRISBURG, Pa. — Four people, two from York County, were indicted on charges related to a prostitution enterprise, according to the United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
The four defendants, Anton Panin, 40, from Hollywood, Florida, Jennie Lawson, 37, from Dillsburg, Tracey Lawson, 57, from Thomasville and Viktoriia Zakirova, 32, from Miami, are accused of running a company called XO Companions, or XOC.
According to United States Attorney General Gerard M. Karam, the indictment charges each defendant with conspiring to transport women in interstate and foreign commerce with the intent that the women engaged in prostitution and conspired to persuade women to travel to engage in prostitution.
The indictment further charges Panin and Lawsons with money laundering.
According to court documents, Panin and Zakirova recruited women in Russia and other Eastern European countries to travel to the United States to work as prostitutes for XO Companions.
Once in the U.S., XO Companions workers traveled throughout the county to meet with clients in major cities. The workers would then allegedly send cash to the Lawsons, who in turn transported the money to Panin in Florida.
Additionally, the defendants operated a password-protected website through which clients could view schedules, view services offered, reserve time and provide reviews.
"As alleged, Anton Panin, Viktoriia Zakirova, Jennie Lawson and Tracey Lawson operated an illicit prostitution ring over the span of many years in cities across the United States. To date, the investigation has identified hundreds of individuals linked to the criminal enterprise, some of whom are suspected of being victims of human trafficking,” said HSI New York Special Agent in Charge Ivan J. Arvelo.
"The defendants preyed upon vulnerable women hoping for a better life in the United States, and they now will be held accountable for their heinous actions. Today's indictment sends a message to would-be traffickers that the FBI and its partners are committed to protecting victims and bringing their predators to justice," added Philadelphia Division FBI Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire.
The maximum penalty under federal law is five years in jail for prostitution-related conspiracy and 20 years in prison for money laundering, followed by a term of supervised release and a fine.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation.
If you believe you are a victim in this case, please contact Homeland Security Investigations at 866-347-2423 or SexTrafficking_Outreach@hsi.dhs.gov.
