Authorities shut down Russia's largest webcam studio in Yekaterinburg

In Yekaterinburg, the largest webcam studio in Russia was shut down; it was located in a building at 35 Geroev Rossii Street. Clients gained entry by passing through an intercom with facial recognition.

Criminal investigation operatives and activist Dmitry Chukreyev entered the premises. Naked girls and women aged 18 to 50 were conducting online broadcasts from 11 identical rooms — for money, they fulfilled clients« wishes (including using sex toys).

Each room was equipped with necessary technology, lighting, and a camera, as well as outfits for changing images. The girls received a decent salary: administrators — from 80,000 rubles (approximately $800 at current rates), the models themselves — from 150,000 rubles (approximately $1,500 at current rates). Per month, one such studio was supposed to generate income of $90,000 (approximately 7 million rubles).

According to activist Dmitry Chukreyev, the webcam studio had been operating for over a year and was part of a large interregional network.

«Police took ten girls to the station (the lawyer who came to them could not help in any way), and the equipment along with computers was seized,» Dmitry Chukreyev said.

The issue of initiating a criminal case under the article «Illegal production and distribution of pornographic materials by a group of persons by prior conspiracy using the Internet with the extraction of income on a large scale» is being decided. The organizers of the webcam studio face from 2 to 6 years in prison.

Earlier, activists raided a «budget prostitution den» at the intersection of Frunze and 8 Marta streets.

Also read our report from a test purchase in the «prostitution den.» The modest one-story building without a sign was located near the Railway Administration.