Convicted Berkeley Sex Trafficker Dead At 84

BERKELEY, CA — A convicted Berkeley sex trafficker with vast real estate holdings in this East Bay city has died at 84, according to published reports.

Lakireddy Bali Reddy died of natural causes Monday at Alta Bates summit Medical Center in Oakland, the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office told The Mercury News.

Reddy in 2001 pleaded guilty to sex trafficking charges immigration fraud and served eight years in federal prison for importing girls and women from India for sex and cheap labor, the report said.

He was convicted of sexually abusing nearly 25 women, Berkeleyside reports.

Prosecutors accused Reddy of sexually abusing the women and girls and subjecting them to what was described as indentured servitude, SFGate reports.

Berkeley High School student journalists exposed Reddy’s crimes after 17-year-old Chanti Pratipatti died of carbon monoxide poisoning at one of his properties, Berkeleyside reports.

Reddy’s portfolio included approximately 1,200 rental units.