Auckland Businessman Shafkat Mahbub Jailed for Secretly Filming Women During S*x, Selling Videos Online

Auckland businessman Shafkat Mahbub, who secretly filmed 14 women during s*xual encounters and later uploaded the recordings online for money, has been sentenced to 31 months in prison. Mahbub was sentenced in the Auckland District Court on Tuesday after pleading guilty to 24 charges, 14 involving the making of intimate visual recordings and 10 relating to recordings he uploaded online. Mahbub, a married father of two who moved to New Zealand from Bangladesh in 2007, previously worked as an accountant and had established a recruitment business.

How The Offending Took Place

The offending occurred over a four-year period, with Mahbub concealing recording devices before s*xual encounters and secretly recording the women without their knowledge or consent. Ten of the recordings were subsequently uploaded to websites, and between August 2023 and March 2024, Mahbub earned $3,521.19 from videos uploaded to one website, according to court information reported by the New Zealand Herald. Indiana Teacher Brittany Fortinberry Accused of ‘Scream’ Mask Group S*x With Students Officially Divorced.

Judge Debra Bell said the offending had caused extensive psychological harm to the victims, many of whom were left fearful about who had seen the recordings and whether the footage could ever be completely removed from the internet. The judge described Mahbub's conduct as showing "a striking absence of empathy" and a "callous disregard" for the wellbeing of his victims.

Victims Speak Out

Two victims, both s*x workers in their 20s, told the NZ Herald they had no idea they were being secretly recorded during encounters with Mahbub at Auckland hotels. One victim said she immediately recognised several friends who were also s*x workers after discovering one of the videos online, adding that a recording featuring her had reportedly been online for about two years and had attracted more than 100,000 views. She said the discovery had severely affected her work and left her constantly worried about being secretly filmed again. Who Is Rajendranauth Doodnauth Maraj? Priest Arrested in Durham for S*x Assault After Claiming Victim Had Evil Spirit.

Another victim said footage of her appeared on a European p*rnography website and described the discovery as causing overwhelming fear, shock and distress, adding that the experience had affected her personal and professional life and left her with symptoms consistent with post-traumatic stress disorder.

How He Carried Out The Recordings

Court documents reported by the NZ Herald said Mahbub would sometimes meet women at Auckland restaurants before arranging s*xual encounters at hotels, where he regularly rented rooms and allegedly concealed recording equipment before the women arrived. In one case, Mahbub positioned his mobile phone to record a woman during a s*xual encounter without her knowledge, with the footage later distributed online. In another case, a woman became suspicious about Mahbub's insistence on positioning himself in a particular part of a hotel room, and recordings from that encounter were later uploaded to multiple websites, exposing her identity without consent.

After five victim impact statements were read in court, Mahbub turned towards the women and quietly apologised. His lawyer, Joon Yi, said Mahbub was remorseful and had written letters of apology to victims who wanted to receive them.

The case has also prompted renewed warnings about covert recording technology, with Annah Pickering, regional co-ordinator for the New Zealand Prostitutes Collective, urging s*x workers to remain alert to hidden cameras and other devices and to establish clear rules with clients about phones and recording equipment.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 28, 2026 07:46 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).