Edward Gene Smith, a former managing director at Citigroup, has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for drugging and raping multiple women over a decade. Smith, 50, pleaded guilty in January to crimes that spanned from at least 2015 until his arrest in 2024.
Prosecutors described Smith as a serial rapist who hid his crimes behind his wealth and education. He admitted to recording one assault in April 2023, where he raped an incapacitated woman after drugging her, and subsequently shared the footage on an encrypted platform. He also repeatedly drugged and raped a college student he convinced to move to New York City in 2019.
During sentencing arguments, Smith's defense attorneys attempted to link his actions to autism spectrum disorder (ASD), claiming it was the "primary driver" of his conduct. They argued that his understanding of his relationships was flawed and that victims experienced encounters as non-consensual. Prosecutors strongly refuted this, calling the claim "inflammatory nonsense" and an "offensive smear to those in the autism community." They asserted that Smith was fully aware of his actions when committing the assaults, collecting child abuse imagery, and attempting to cover up his crimes by paying a victim.
Authorities discovered tens of thousands of images depicting child sexual abuse within Smith's Manhattan apartment. He also paid a victim thousands of dollars to sign a fabricated "letter of support" as part of an effort to conceal his offenses. Prosecutors noted that Smith meticulously documented his crimes, keeping extensive notes on his planning of assaults and victim torture.
Smith, who held positions at several banks before rising to managing director at Citigroup, was fired by the company upon learning of the law enforcement investigation. Citigroup stated they cooperated with authorities. Smith was married in 2012 to Heather Rodgers, who resides in South Carolina. Federal authorities are seeking to seize a property owned by Rodgers to provide restitution to Smith's victims.