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Indian cruise hairstylist faces sexual abuse charges in US
Federal complaint alleges two passengers were assaulted during salon appointments aboard a cruise ship.
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Ankita Baidya - Tue, 07, Jul 2026
- 04:38 EDT
- 27
Federal prosecutors charged an Indian hairstylist aboard cruise ship with abusive sexual contact. / virgin.com
An Indian national employed as a hairstylist aboard a cruise ship has been charged with two counts of abusive sexual contact involving two female passengers, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Washington announced.
Also read: Indian-origin man tied to extortion network arrested in Edmonton
Pranit Narayan Pawar, 26, was arrested after the 'Brilliant Lady' docked in Seattle on July 2. He was scheduled to make his initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Tacoma on Monday, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
According to a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, Pawar worked as a barber and hairdresser aboard the Bermuda-flagged Brilliant Lady, which departed Seattle on June 23 and returned on July 2 after stops in the United States and Canada.
The complaint alleges that on June 26, Pawar engaged in nonconsensual sexual contact with two passengers, identified as Victim 1 and Victim 2. Both women had scheduled salon appointments with Pawar, who allegedly offered each a massage before taking them to an adjacent barbershop described in the complaint as a small, windowless room.
According to the complaint, Pawar made inappropriate physical contact with Victim 1 during a massage without her consent.
The complaint further alleges that Victim 2 had been offered a complimentary massage if she booked two additional salon appointments. During the massage, Pawar allegedly made inappropriate physical contact before she declined further contact and left the room.
According to the complaint, when interviewed by FBI agents on July 2, Pawar acknowledged inappropriate conduct during massages with both women, said he had taken four to five women into the barbershop for massages over the previous 10 to 12 days, and stated that he "totally regrets his actions."
The U.S. Attorney's Office said the case falls under federal jurisdiction because the alleged conduct occurred within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States.
Abusive sexual contact under federal law carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison. The complaint contains allegations, and Pawar is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean H. Waite, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
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