Jay Clayton, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York | Department of Justice
Edward Gene Smith, a former senior executive at major financial institutions, pleaded guilty in federal court to multiple charges including sexual assault, child pornography, and obstruction of justice. The plea was entered before U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer in the Southern District of New York. Sentencing is scheduled for May 8, 2026.
According to the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, “Edward Gene Smith is a predator. He used money, access, and his influence in our community to identify, lure, drug, and sexually assault young women. He trafficked in images of child sexual abuse. He thought he could evade the law by paying a victim to sign a false statement. This case sends two messages: there is no place in New York for sexual predators, and those who seek to obstruct justice will be brought to justice.”
Court documents and statements made during proceedings detail that from approximately 2015 through June 2024, Smith planned and carried out schemes to drug and incapacitate women with the intent to engage in non-consensual sexual activity. In several cases he recorded these acts without the victims’ knowledge.
One incident described occurred on April 23, 2023 at Smith’s residence near Central Park South where he gave an alcoholic beverage laced with Klonopin—a controlled substance—to one victim before physically restraining and raping her while she was unconscious. Smith then filmed the assault and shared it via an encrypted messaging platform dedicated to exploitative content.
In another case between 2019 and 2020, Smith met a college student whom he persuaded to move to New York City. Over several months he controlled her finances and activities while repeatedly drugging and sexually assaulting her using coercion and threats involving firearms.
Smith also contacted a third victim when she was 17 years old, soliciting explicit photographs from her before arranging for her travel to New York City after she turned 18; there he attempted to drug her and committed physical and sexual assaults during separate visits.
Authorities report that between 2012 and June 2024 Smith possessed large quantities of child pornography depicting children being abused.
After authorities executed a search warrant at his residence in August 2024 revealing illicit material on his devices, Smith attempted to obstruct the investigation by paying one victim thousands of dollars for signing a false statement and soliciting others for similar actions.
Smith has been detained since January 8, 2025 following his arrest on September 10, 2024. He pleaded guilty to distribution of a controlled substance with intent to commit rape (maximum sentence: 20 years), enticement to travel for unlawful sexual activity (maximum: 20 years), receipt of child pornography (mandatory minimum: five years; maximum: 20 years), and obstruction of justice (maximum: 20 years). Sentencing will be determined by the judge based on federal guidelines set by Congress.
Jay Clayton commended the FBI’s work on this investigation.
The case is prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Remy Grosbard, Rita Maxwell, Daniel Richenthal, Joe Zabel with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Olivia Sebade as part of the Office’s General Crimes Unit.
Anyone with information or who believes they may have been victimized by Edward Gene Smith is encouraged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
