NEW YORK (PIX11) — A retired financier and his assistant are accused of running a decade-long sex trafficking operation where former Playboy models were “tortured” during sex in a BDSM dungeon in a swanky New York City penthouse, authorities said.

Howard Rubin, 70, and Jennifer Powers, 45, were charged Friday with sex trafficking and transporting women to engage in commercial sex acts, according to the complaint filed in Brooklyn Federal Court.

The defendants allegedly spent around $1 million of Rubin’s fortune to run the operation from 2009 to 2019 that included flying former Playboy models to New York City and leasing a penthouse on West 57th Street near Central Park, prosecutors said.

One of the soundproofed rooms in the penthouse was turned into a sex dungeon. It was painted red and furnished with BDSM equipment, like straps and restraints, and had devices that could shock or electrocute them, prosecutors alleged.

Some of the women consented to the encounters but were unaware how violent they could become. Some of the models were injured or gagged during the sex encounters with Rubin, including one woman whose breast implant flipped upside down and required surgery to fix, the complaint said.

“In still other instances, women became unconscious during the sexual encounters, such that they were unable to consent,” prosecutors said.

Authorities said some of the women were paid $5,000 for the trysts with Rubin and were required to sign blank non-disclosure agreements.

Rubin was arrested Friday in Connecticut, and Powers was taken into custody on Texas, officials said. Their arraignments were pending.

“As alleged, the defendants used Rubin’s wealth to mislead and recruit women to engage in commercial sex acts, where Rubin then tortured women beyond their consent, causing lasting physical and/or psychological pain, and in some cases physical injuries,” stated United States Attorney Joseph Nocella.