A Montreal man is on trial for allegedly sexually exploiting at least ten teenagers.
Walid Mustapha Chalhoub faces 48 charges, including sexual assault, drug trafficking and extortion.
Authorities say Chalhoub won the trust of young women by showering them with praise and gifts, promising them easy money either through prostitution, fraudulent schemes or drug deals.
By 2011, Chalhoub's apartment had become a space for young girls in the neighbourhood to party. He would provide them with alcohol, drugs and all the attention they craved.
The prosecution claims it was all part of a sinister plot.
He is accused of seducing each teenager and videotaping their sexual encounter, then using that tape to blackmail his victims into selling drugs, defrauding banks, or prostitution.
Chalhoub is also accused of forcing his victims to sign contracts agreeing not to talk to the police.
Police say his scheme continued until one girl's parents learned about the blackmail threats in 2013 and tipped off police.
Three young women took the stand on Wednesday morning.
The first to testify, a teenager whose identity is protected because of her age, claimed the man sexually assaulted her and filmed it. He then threatened to blackmail her with it, she said.
Two other victims who took the stand Wednesday said Chalhoub would have them sign contracts in which they agreed to pose for nude pictures, but instead, he sexually assaulted them, again saying he would use the video to blackmail them.
When one teen said she wanted out of her contract, Chalhoub allegedly told her that he would use his Mafia connections to burn her parents’ house.
In 2013, police investigator Sgt. Brigitte Guerard arrested Chalhoub, and urged other victims to come forward. Altogether, ten young women aged 15 to 18 came forward.
The prosecution is determined to have all ten victims testify.
The trial will last at least three weeks.
