According to recently unsealed federal charges, a Chicago couple, Kishan Modugumudi and Chandra Kala Purnima Modugumudi, had allegedly been running a high-end prostitution ring using actresses from Tollywood, the Teluga-language film scene in southern India. The women were marketed for sex at Indian conferences and cultural events throughout the United States, including Dallas.
According to the charges, at least one victim presented letters from the Teluga Association of North America and the Telegana Peoples Association of Dallas inviting her to be a guest at local events as part of her U.S. visa application. Law enforcement later confirmed that the letters were fraudulent.
According to the criminal complaint, at least two of the Tollywood actresses were offered for a “prostitution date” with a man in Frisco in October 2017. He negotiated a rate of $2,000 plus a $100 “tip” for two hours with one of the women via text message with Kishan Modugumudi, who arranged for the woman’s flight and a hotel room in Frisco.
In response to the #MeToo movement, other Tollywood actresses have spoken out about the widespread practice of advertising Indian actresses for sex at cultural events, including Sri Reddy, a Tamil actress fighting sexual harassment in Tollywood. In an interview with News18, Reddy said that she, too, was approached by the couple.
