Trial verdict in Vienna

Client drugged and robbed: Prison sentence for prostitutes

Both women and the mastermind were sentenced to prison on Monday. They had drugged and robbed several clients.

(Bild: Bartel Gerhard/Gerhard Bartel, Krone KREATIV)

The trial against two prostitutes and their backer ended on Monday at the Vienna Regional Court with heavy prison sentences. The women had contacted ten older and single men via dating platforms, arranged meetings and robbed them during so-called house calls.

One of the prostitutes - a 43-year-old woman - received eight years in prison, a 28-year-old woman nine years. A 53-year-old man, who pulled the strings in the background, received 13 years. 

Judgments already legally binding
"There is no doubt that the crimes were committed as stated in the indictment. The acts were planned long in advance," summarized the presiding judge in his sentencing remarks. The sentencing was aggravated by the insidious manner in which the crimes were committed, the advanced age of the victims and one and seven previous convictions of the 28-year-old and 53-year-old respectively. The verdicts are already final. Both the public prosecutor and the defense lawyers accepted the sentences imposed for multiple aggravated robbery and criminal association.

The women, who come from Hungary, had used fake profiles on dating platforms featuring much younger, attractive women. Their victims included the legendary Viennese burglar king Ernst Walter Stummer, who was picked out, drugged and robbed by the two in his apartment on October 4, 2023.

The burglary king Ernst Walter Stummer (85) fell victim to the two prostitutes: "They didn't find much." 50 euros and a watch were missing.

(Bild: Pratschner Sophie)

"They didn't find much," Stummer joked at the first hearing at the end of May in the Gray House. The now 85-year-old, who was imprisoned for around 30 years of his life and had sued the Republic of Austria at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) to have his insurance months from his prison work deducted from his pension, had served the women a bottle of sparkling wine.

50 euros stolen from his wallet
He didn't realize that one of the two women had slipped something into his drink. When he woke up from his doze, 50 euros had disappeared from his wallet along with the women. They had also taken a wristwatch.

Crime scenes also in Upper Austria and Burgenland
In six cases, the two women acted in pairs, in four cases the 43-year-old woman acted alone. After the victims were incapacitated, the 53-year-old entered the apartment, searched the rooms and took the valuables - including a 60-kilo safe - according to the indictment. According to the indictment, the loot amounted to cash and jewelry worth a total of 70,000 euros, with two victims being particularly badly hit with losses of 33,500 and 23,200 euros respectively. In addition to Vienna, the crime scenes were the Upper Austrian cities of Linz and Wels as well as towns on the Dachstein and in Burgenland.