Major held for pimping
An air force major serving in the Ministry of Defense headquarters was arrested yesterday on suspicion of forcing a large number of young women into prostitution and taking a sizable amount of the proceeds. The 42-year-old married father of two, whose name was not made public, was arrested in an Athens sting operation after one of his victims went to the police. The air force immediately suspended him for 12 months. Police said the major, who served in the weather forecasting service, lured his victims through classified job ads. He allegedly persuaded many of his respondents to be photographed naked for him, for a 150-euro fee, in the company of a female accomplice or with himself. Police said the officer then blackmailed the women to work as prostitutes, splitting their fees with him, threatening to send the photos to their friends and families if they refused.
