Swedish man prosecuted for ‘selling his wife’

According to the indictment, the suspect illegally profited from forcing his wife to “perform and submit to sexual acts” for other men during the period from August 11, 2022 to October 21, 2025.

The suspect, who was a high-ranking member of the notorious Hells Angels motorcycle gang, is also accused of abusing and threatening his wife, taking advantage of her fear of him and her drug addiction. Prosecutors described these acts as “ruthless exploitation”.

This “wife selling” case is a rare incident and shocked public opinion in Sweden, a country with a very strict policy against crimes related to prostitution and sexual exploitation, also known as the “Swedish model”. This country’s law considers prostitution a form of violence against women, so the law does not criminalize sex workers, but strictly punishes sex buyers and those who organize, broker, or coerce them.

Prosecutor Ida Annerstedt said in February that authorities had identified about 120 people suspected of having purchased sex through this man’s brokerage. In addition to prostitution brokerage, the husband was also accused of committing eight rapes.

Silvia Ingolfsdottir, the lawyer representing the wife, told AFP that the charges were the result of “serious and aggravating crimes” of which her client was the victim.

“She hopes to get justice,” Ingolfsdottir said.

The suspect denies all accusations. The first trial is scheduled to begin on April 13.