A brief distance from the residence where long-time financial mogul Howard Rubin resided with his wife and three children in Manhattan, he maintained a secondary apartment.
The $18,000 per month penthouse at the Metropolitan Tower Condominium on West 57th street, situated just below Central Park, boasts impressive views—however, most of his guests reportedly never had the chance to admire them.
Prosecutors allege that Rubin transformed the apartment into a sordid “built-in” sex dungeon, where he purportedly subjected numerous women to brutal beatings, sexual assault, and even electrocution.
Rubin and his aide Jennifer Powers are currently charged with orchestrating a $1 million sex-trafficking operation involving bondage and sadomasochism from 2009 to 2019, with a significant portion of the activities occurring within the soundproofed apartment.
This week, reports emerged detailing how Rubin—whose net worth is in the tens of millions—frequently entertained a rotating lineup of women at a nearby bistro, with court documents identifying several alleged victims as models and Playboy figures.
“It appeared he financed their enhancements; they were all blond,” commented a server who chose to remain anonymous.
A former associate of Rubin recounted potential warning signs, stating: “It’s usually a bad omen when non-public figures require women to sign non-disclosure agreements prior to dates.”
Once entrapped in his domain, many alleged victims, reportedly misled to believe they were going elsewhere, suffered heinous abuses.
The locked room, described to be painted red with white carpeting, was filled with various torture and bondage apparatuses as detailed in court filings accessed by The Post.
Among the equipment present in the room was an X-shaped “St. Andrews cross” and a bed equipped with restraints where the women were allegedly secured, chained, and gagged, as stated by authorities.
Additionally, the dungeon housed an array of sex toys, full-face masks with zippers, ropes, chains, metal hooks, and devices such as a cattle prod, purportedly utilized to inflict pain, according to his alleged victims.
On July 30, 2012, Powers—who is said to have facilitated the luring of numerous women for Rubin’s exploitation—wrote to him about how she had outfitted the dungeon, mentioning:
“I’ve added chains to the four corners of your cross and your dungeon bed. Each chain now has a cuff attached… I’ve done this so it will be SIMPLE to quickly secure someone to the cross or the bed using the ‘pre-made’ chains and cuffs,” according to federal documents.
One of Rubin’s alleged victims reported being bound to the cross, subjected to beatings and whipping, as outlined in court documents.
In a disturbing incident, Rubin allegedly told another woman, “she is the baby, and Howie is the daddy. The daddy has to beat his baby,” according to legal filings.
Rubin had even retained a lawyer specifically to manage the repercussions stemming from his illicit activities, sources disclosed to The Post.
Insiders of the luxury building expressed shock at the events, noting its high level of security and the attentiveness of the staff.
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“That place is impregnable,” remarked a real estate expert. “The doormen are exceptionally observant and don’t allow anything past them… The front desk collects all your details whenever you enter the building.
“Perhaps he bribed the staff—it’s unfortunate but not uncommon in this city.”
A spokesperson for Macklowe Properties, the management company for the Metropolitan Tower Condominium, declined to comment when approached by The Post.
Attorneys representing Rubin and Powers have also not responded to The Post’s inquiries for comments.
Private dungeons for kink activities are more prevalent across New York City than many might think, according to Corcoran real estate advisor Thomas Ventura. He highlighted that these spaces are typically designed for consensual enjoyment rather than illicit conduct.
“If a client desires a sex dungeon, we can certainly assist them,” he said concerning requests he’s received.
“We represented the sellers when the son of a well-known children’s author viewed an apartment; he asked very specific questions. Through our discussion, it became clear he had a notably ‘vibrant’ social life and needed to ensure the apartment was completely soundproofed.
“We had to thoroughly discuss the methods of soundproofing to avoid disturbing neighbors and receiving noise complaints.
“This illustrates how diverse the preferences and priorities of buyers can be.”
Allegations against Rubin began surfacing in 2017 when he was sued in civil court by multiple Florida women claiming he committed violent sexual assaults in New York. He faced additional lawsuits in Brooklyn federal court in 2022.
Two of his victims were identified in civil litigation as Playboy models, including Amy Moore, Mia Lytell, and another, Stephanie Caldwell, recognized as a model and dancer.
Emma Hopper, a model and student from Atlanta, also joined the civil case against Rubin and Powers.
A jury subsequently determined that Rubin—whose career spanned 30 years, including work at billionaire George Soros’ investment firm—was liable for millions, yet cleared Powers during a civil trial in Brooklyn in 2022.
Another source, acquainted with non-executive management at Merrill Lynch when Rubin and his then-wife Mary Henry worked there in the mid-1980s, characterized him as “intelligent” but noted he had “only his interests at heart.”
“He was retained by senior executives at Merrill Lynch since it was a sales-oriented firm, not driven by trading, and he brought in significant trades,” they recounted.
The source said Rubin incurred losses at both Merrill Lynch and Bear Stearns, but truly amassed wealth while working for George Soros. They added he was seldom a team player and did not interact socially with fellow traders after business hours.
“I would see him converse with his wife at work. They lived in upscale neighborhoods in Manhattan and Long Island and participated in charitable endeavors.
“But it’s likely he was acting the same way with the women then… as I mentioned, he lacked a moral compass,” they concluded.
Rubin has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him and is currently held without bail, awaiting his next court appearance on October 20.
Powers, now residing in Texas, has also entered a not guilty plea and is presently out on bail following a posted bond of $850,000.
