Accused rapist Ryan Hemphill built false persona of wealth, power
In the years before prosecutors accused him of torturing and raping women inside his Manhattan apartment, Ryan Hemphill presented himself as a success story.
In the years before prosecutors accused him of torturing and raping six women inside his midtown Manhattan apartment, Ryan Hemphill presented himself to the world as a success story.
Across his three personal websites and LinkedIn profile, Hemphill, 43, flashed a law degree, an MBA, ownership of a private equity firm, a nonprofit and a former role at the United Nations. On Thursday, New York prosecutors said he used that image of wealth and power “as both sword and shield” to prey on women, charging him with 116 counts of rape, strangulation, predatory sexual assault and bribery, among other charges.
“He told them that he had resources that made him untouchable, including purported deep connections in law enforcement and in organized crime,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said at a news conference. “He impressed upon them that going to the authorities would be futile and that he would never be held accountable.”
But upon closer examination, Hemphill’s projected image of affluence and influence appears to crumble.
Driving his supposed success appears to be two companies he says he founded: New York City-based private equity firm Madison Park Capital Advisors, Inc. and online car auction site the MB Market, according to his LinkedIn.
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