Man used fake porn auditions to trick women into sex, police say

Thursday, October 27, 2016
Man tricked women into sex, police say
Mario Antoine posed as a member of a pornography company and lured dozens of women into having sex with him, police said.

KANSAS CITY, Missouri -- A man in Missouri tricked dozens of women into having sex with him, according to police.

For years, investigators said Mario Antoine posed as a member of a pornography company and lured dozens of women into having sex with him in exchange for the promise of thousands of dollars.

But the money never came, police said. After victims complained, investigators said Antoine sent the sexual material to employers or significant others.

After seeing Antoine's mugshot and hearing the charges against him, KSHB reports former neighbor Josh Tillery could not believe the case involving the man who once lived next door to him in Olathe.

"I couldn't believe what I was reading," Tillery said. "Real friendly. Helpful. He invited us over for dinner once or twice," Tillery said.

"He exploited these people. People that you exploit often need the most help," said Josh Henges, of KidsTLC.

Henges, a sex trafficking experts, said incidents like this one show how women in vulnerable positions can be taken advantage of.

"This situation I see a lot like Tinder. They wanted something likened to instant gratification," Henges said.

Despite the situation presenting obvious dangers, Henges said the dozens of victims should not be blamed. With Antoine now in federal custody, those victims hope for justice.

"I don't think it was a smart move at all, but that doesn't change the fact that they didn't deserve any of this," Henges said.

If convicted, Antoine could spend decades behind bars for this case. He is expected to be back in court on Thursday.