The Dubai sex worker scandal: a verdict after ten years

After many years, the criminal case involving three individuals—Zoltán K., Vivien Sz., and Silvia P.—suspected of chain-linking, known as the “double-dealing” case, has finally come to an end. According to the prosecution, the trio recruited several women from their circle of acquaintances for so-called “hostess jobs,” not only in Hungary but also abroad, including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ibiza, Orlando, Paris, Saint-Tropez, and Monaco, among other locations. However, conflicting information regarding the nature and purpose of the work emerged, ultimately leading to legal proceedings.

The Dubai case dragged on for years

The Dubai case, which lasted for more than a decade, was decided by the Pest Central District Court on 17 February. During the trial, the names of several well-known individuals emerged as witnesses or persons involved. For instance, Pamela Hódi and Dóra Kovács gave testimonies, while Edina Kulcsár was summoned several times but did not appear at the hearings due to pregnancy.

Intercepted conversations and new details

According to intercepted phone calls presented as evidence, the defendants regularly discussed working conditions not only among themselves but also with the women they had mediated. During the trial, the name of Tímea Vajna (then Palácsik) was also mentioned in some of the intercepted conversations, although her involvement was only referenced in the telephone records.

One of the most famous Hungarian models also testified

Zita Görög told Telex in November 2023 that “dubbing exists in a very rough way.” She recounted that she was once sent to Dubai, having received the job offer from the same agency that secured her a film role in Underworld. She described having a very unpleasant experience at a Dubai hotel.

“A blonde girl appeared; she spoke Hungarian, she looked exactly like the girls in porn movies, and she told us to get ready because they were taking us to dinner,” she said, explaining that she was reluctant at first but eventually agreed to go to avoid conflict.

“They took us to a huge garden where there were dolphins spitting gold water—it was disgusting. The most shocking thing was that Something America 1 was playing on a giant screen the size of this studio. This made me wonder how many Hungarian girls had been there if this film was being shown on arrival. I had a panic attack; I started crying and screaming to be taken away because I saw girls in bikinis at sunset, carrying eggs back from the sand. If the eggs didn’t break, they received money in their underwear. It was all very disturbing. My panic attack unsettled the other girls and made the whole situation even more uncomfortable,” Görög recounted in her shocking testimony.