D.A. Bragg Announces Sex Trafficking Indictment Of Matthew “Mister” Richardson

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., today announced the indictment of MATTHEW RICHARDSON, a/k/a "Mister," 40, for trafficking a young woman beginning in May 2024. RICHARDSON is charged in a New York State Supreme Court indictment with two counts of Sex Trafficking, Promoting Prostitution of an 18-year-old, and Conspiracy in the Sixth Degree.^[1]

"As alleged, Matthew Richardson trafficked a woman by using threats and violence, and hanging a supposed debt over her head," said Distrct Attorney Bragg. "Far from helping her, as he claimed, he coerced her to continue to repay him and demanded she hand over nearly all of the money she took in. This investigation is ongoing; I urge anyone with information to call our Human Trafficking Unit at 212-335-3400."

As alleged in court documents and statements made on the record, RICHARDSON met the 18-year-old survivor at a club operating at 108 Greenwich Street. He offered to help her get a job as a dancer, including scheduling dance classes for her and bringing her to auditions. Simultaneously, he posted advertisements of the woman on escort websites and began setting up prostitution encounters.

In May 2024, he drove her to a secluded location, where he told her she owed him $10,000 for his help getting a job. He threatened her, saying in substance that he has had women who have wronged him raped and killed before. Between May and August 2024, she went on dozens of prostitution "dates," each time transferring most of the money to RICHARDSON, who slapped her on at least two occasions when he discovered she did not tell him about tips she received.

The D.A.'s Office's Human Trafficking Unit began investigating after the National Human Trafficking Hotline receiving a tip in summer 2025.

Assistant D.A. Thomas Kendris is handling the prosecution of this case under the supervision of Assistant D.A.s Courtney Razner (Deputy Chief of the Human Trafficking Unit) and Jonathon Junig (Chief of the Human Trafficking Unit), and Executive Assistant D.A. Justin McNabney (Chief of the Special Victims Division), with the assistance of Investigative Analyst Abigail Presti, and Human Trafficking Clinical Director Melissa Martinez.

District Attorney Bragg thanked Detective Paul Mastronardi of the joint FBI/NYPD Task Force.

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[1] The charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. All factual recitations are derived from documents filed in court and statements made on the record in court.