New York banker accused of raping teen he pretended was his daughter hit with 75 new criminal charges
A New York City banker who was accused of raping a 14-year-old he pretended was his daughter has been hit with dozens of additional charges over the alleged abuse of three more victims.
Michael Olson, 55, was remanded in custody on 15 June and was initially indicted with 17 charges, including the rape and drugging of the girl he met online.
On Tuesday, he was hit with a superseding indictment with 75 counts of criminal charges on allegations of continuing to target young girls online after being released on a $1m bond in May, Manhattan assistant district attorney John Fuller said.
Additionally, he faces 32 felony counts for possessing videos and pictures of a child performing sexual acts.
“These 32 [counts] represent some of the most graphic and lewd images that he possessed,” Mr Fuller said in Manhattan’s Supreme Court, according to New York Post.
The initial charges on Mr Olson were linked to a 14-year-old girl who authorities said was found in a Midtown Manhattan hotel room with Mr Olson after overdosing on cocaine and Xanax on 26 May.
Authorities said they found sex objects like vibrators, handcuffs, rope, lubricant and condoms in the room which the accused said were gifts to the girl.
The investigation revealed there were numerous other victims and he had hundreds of screenshots of Instagram accounts of Asian teenage girls who had posted about not being able to afford clothes.
He had found the Instagram account of the 14-year-old girl in December after she posted about clothes being too expensive. He then sent her a gift card to buy clothes and paid her money to spend time with him.
Prosecutors alleged he raped the girl repeatedly and paid $700 a week to engage in sexual conduct in the hostel room passing her off as her daughter to avoid suspicion.
According to Mr Fuller’s statement to the court, 50 new charges against him involve not only selling drugs to another child, but also engaging in the solicitation of children for prostitution.
Judge Ann Scherzer issued orders to bar Mr Olson from contacting the alleged victims.
“The orders are going to remain under seal so no one can see the names because they are children. But you will see the names, and with respect to those individuals – you may not have any contact with them whatsoever. None,” she told him.
Mr Oslon has pleaded not guilty.
Proposing a plea deal, prosecutors told the court that he can get his jail sentence reduced to 25 years and mandatory registration as a sex offender.
Jeffrey Lichtman, his defence attorney, said they were caught off guard by the additional charges involving the new alleged victims.
“There’s no allegation of any more sexual contact with any new victims,” Mr Lichtman said.
“I understand where the offer is coming from, but for a 55-year-old defendant, 25 years might as well be a 1,000 [years],” he said.
