Baden, Aargau - It is one of the most shocking cases of child prostitution in recent years: In June 2025, the Baden district court sentenced a 60-year-old brothel owner to 4 years and 4 months in prison. Your crime? She employed a 16-year-old prostitute in her establishment - and collected half of the income!
The girl had to serve around 70 clients during three stays in Switzerland and "earned" over 8,000 francs. She didn't see a cent of the money - it all went to a pimp in Hungary who had lured her to Switzerland with the perfidious "loverboy scam".
From the children's home to the Budapest street prostitution The girl's story reads like a nightmare: after running away from the children's home, she ended up on the children's and youth street in Budapest. A man was already waiting there to lure her with false promises.
The public prosecutor's office calls it "particularly perfidious": the alleged pimp used the lover boy scam - he took the girl in, promised her great love and a better life. Instead, he sent her to Switzerland several times, where she had to work in the Aargau brothel for a few weeks at a time.
"Half belongs to the house!" The rules were tough: 50 percent of the proceeds went directly to the brothel owner. The girl had to transfer the other half to her “lover” in Hungary – the man who had exploited her.
The 16-year-old entered the country using her sister-in-law's ID. But the public prosecutor's office is convinced: "The fact that he was a minor was undoubtedly due to his external appearance."
“She knew it – and advertised anyway!” The brothel owner claimed in court that she did not know the girl was underage. The ID said something different. The court didn't believe her.
Two receptionists at the brothel said: The boss knew about the age. What's more: the girl was deliberately advertised as "young" in advertisements. In the establishment itself, it was openly mentioned to suitors that she was 16 years old.
The result? Several of the teenager's suitors have already been sentenced by criminal warrants - they had to pay fines and restitution.
Second underage girl caught The case became even more explosive when the police picked up a second underage girl in the same brothel. It had only been working there for a few days. Here too, the public prosecutor's office blames the same pimp from Hungary.
In 2023, the Aargau police acted on a tip from the public. Adrian Schuler, media spokesman for the public prosecutor's office: "The population was attentive and informed the authorities. That's how we became aware of the abuse."
Expulsion from the country and 12,000 francs in compensation The Baden district court found the brothel owner guilty in the first instance:
⚖️ 4 years and 4 months imprisonment 🚫 Country expulsion 💰 12,000 francs compensation for the victim The defense had demanded an acquittal. The judgment can be referred to the Aargau Higher Court.
Cases against pimps are underway in Hungary The alleged pimp and an accomplice are being prosecuted in Hungary. According to the public prosecutor's office, there is good cooperation with the foreign authorities. The goal: Such cases must not be allowed to happen again.
How is the girl today? She stated in court that she was not yet ready for therapy. But there is a glimmer of hope: she is learning German and will soon start an internship at a daycare center.
Conclusion: Baden is serious about child prostitution. 4 years in prison, expulsion from the country and 12,000 francs in compensation – the signal is clear: anyone who exploits minors pays the price!
