Former Senior Bank Executive, Edward Gene Smith, Sentenced To 30 Years In Prison For Sexual Assault, Child Pornography, And Obstruction Of Justice Offenses

United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that EDWARD GENE SMITH was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer to 30 years in prison for drugging a female victim ("Victim-1") with the intent to rape her, enticing another female victim ("Victim-2") to travel to New York where SMITH drugged and sexually assaulted her, receipt of child pornography, and obstruction of justice. SMITH also admitted to additional conduct relating to other victims.

"Edward Gene Smith is a sexual predator and a serial rapist," said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. "He spent years hiding behind wealth, education, and status while he committed egregious sexual crimes. He drugged and raped women, documenting his crimes with extensive notes planning how he would torture and punish his victims, and surreptitiously photographing them, while they were nude and unconscious. The defendant also obtained and maintained a trove of thousands of files of child sexual abuse material. The defendant took steps to hide his crimes, and, when he was caught, obstructed the investigation by compelling a victim he had drugged and raped to sign a false letter of support. He is now where he belongs, in prison. Every New York family is safer with the defendant off the streets."

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in public court proceedings:

Between approximately 2015 and June 2024, SMITH, who was during that approximate time period a senior executive of major financial institutions, planned to drug, attempted to drug, and/or drugged numerous women with the intent to incapacitate them and/or render them unable to consent to sexual activity. SMITH did, in fact, engage in sexual activity with multiple of these women, and, in at least some cases, surreptitiously took videos or photographs of his criminal sexual activity.

At least on or about April 23, 2023, SMITH drugged and raped Victim-1 in his Central Park South residence. Specifically, unbeknownst to Victim-1, SMITH gave Victim-1 one or more alcoholic beverages that he had laced with Klonopin, a controlled substance. After Victim-1 consumed the drugged drink, SMITH physically restrained Victim-1, and raped her while she was unconscious. While Victim-1 was still unconscious, SMITH also took a video of himself sexually assaulting Victim-1, and then shared that video with others via an encrypted messaging platform, on a channel that was dedicated to sharing depictions of incapacitated or unconscious women in sexually exploitative positions.

Previously, between in or about 2019 and in or about 2020, SMITH repeatedly drugged and sexually assaulted Victim-2. SMITH met Victim-2 in 2019 when Victim-2 was a college student and persuaded Victim-2 to relocate to New York City, which she did. SMITH thereafter controlled Victim-2's finances, social life, and activities, and repeatedly drugged and sexually assaulted Victim-2 over the course of several months. During this time period, SMITH caused Victim-2 to engage in sexual activity through coercion and force, including threatened and physical assault and physical restraint. Additionally, SMITH informed Victim-2 of one or more firearms that he possessed and showed Victim-2 at least one such firearm.

In or about the Fall of 2021, SMITH communicated with another victim ("Victim-3"), who was then 17 years old. SMITH followed a similar pattern with Victim-3. While Victim-3 was still 17 years old, SMITH solicited explicit photographs from Victim-3. Shortly after Victim-3 turned 18 years old, SMITH caused Victim-3 to travel to New York City, attempted to drug Victim-3, and then physically and sexually assaulted her. In or about October 2023, SMITH caused Victim-3 to travel to New York City again, which she did, and drugged and sexually assaulted her. Around this time, SMITH also posted Victim-3's photographs and personal contact information to a website advertising prostitution services, without Victim-3's knowledge.

Between approximately 2012 and June 2024, SMITH also received via the internet and possessed a large volume of images and videos on his personal devices that depicted children, including prepubescent children, being sexually abused.

In or about August 2024, after a search warrant was executed at SMITH's residence, revealing that SMITH possessed child pornography on his electronic devices, SMITH paid Victim-1 thousands of dollars to sign a false document in an attempt to obstruct the investigation. Also in or about August 2024, SMITH solicited other individuals to sign false documents in an attempt to obstruct the investigation.

If you have been victimized by SMITH in any way or have any additional information about his illegal behavior, please call the Federal Bureau of Investigation ("FBI") at 1-800-CALL-FBI.

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In addition to the prison term, SMITH, 50, of New York, New York, was sentenced to a lifetime of supervised release.

Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the FBI.

This case is being handled by the Office's General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Remy Grosbard, Rita Maxwell, Daniel Richenthal, and Joe Zabel are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Olivia Sebade.