Cruise Ship Hairstylist Charged With Sexual Abuse of Passengers

SEATTLE — Every summer, hundreds of thousands of travelers depart Seattle aboard Alaska cruise ships expecting a week of glaciers, wildlife and unforgettable scenery. Federal prosecutors allege at least three women instead encountered a cruise ship hairstylist who used unauthorized “massages” as a pretext for sexual abuse during a recent voyage.

A 26-year-old citizen of India appeared Monday, July 6, in U.S. District Court in Tacoma after the FBI arrested him when the Brilliant Lady returned to Seattle from an Alaska cruise.

Federal prosecutors charged Pranit Narayan Pawar with two counts of abusive sexual contact. According to court documents, investigators believe there may be additional victims beyond the two women identified in the criminal complaint.

Hair Appointments Allegedly Led to Unauthorized Massages

According to the FBI affidavit, Pawar worked as a barber and hairstylist aboard the Brilliant Lady. Investigators say massages were not part of his job duties, and neither the salon nor the adjacent barber shop offered massage services. Despite that, Pawar reportedly admitted he had been offering complimentary massages to clients for the previous 10 to 12 days.

One woman told investigators Pawar offered her a massage during a salon appointment.

Another woman told investigators Pawar promised her a complimentary massage if she booked two additional hair appointments. The massage later appeared on her account as a “consultation,” according to the complaint.

FBI Details Alleged Assaults

According to court documents, Pawar escorted both women from the salon into a small adjacent barber shop described as having no window in the door, dim lighting and dark walls.

Investigators allege he then touched each woman’s breasts without consent while claiming to perform a massage. One woman told investigators Pawar moved both hands over her breasts for approximately 10 minutes. The second woman said Pawar claimed he was working on “underarm pressure points” before moving under her bra and massaging her breast, including her nipple. When he asked if he could massage the other side, she refused, stood up and immediately left the room.

The complaint also alleges Pawar locked the barber shop door during one of the incidents.

Investigators Believe There May Be Additional Victims

The criminal complaint includes allegations beyond the two charged counts.

According to the FBI, Pawar admitted massaging another woman while she wore a white tank top and acknowledged locking the barber shop door during that encounter. Investigators believe he was describing a third woman who later reported Pawar fully exposed her breasts and nipples during a massage. That alleged incident has not been charged in the current complaint.

The complaint also states Pawar admitted taking four or five women into the barber shop to provide massages.

FBI Interview Led to Arrest

When FBI agents interviewed Pawar after the ship returned to Seattle on July 2, investigators say he acknowledged massaging the breasts of two women matching the descriptions provided by the victims.

According to the complaint, Pawar told agents he did not intend to harm anyone and believed he was providing therapeutic massages. However, investigators say he also admitted feeling guilty, regretting his actions and understanding how his conduct could be viewed as harassment.

The FBI arrested Pawar after the Brilliant Lady docked in Seattle.

Because the alleged assaults occurred aboard a foreign-flagged cruise ship that departed from and returned to Seattle, the case falls within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States, giving federal authorities jurisdiction to prosecute the case.

FBI Encourages Additional Victims to Come Forward

The FBI investigates physical and sexual assaults that occur aboard cruise ships operating within U.S. maritime jurisdiction.

Anyone who experiences or witnesses a sexual assault aboard a cruise ship should report it immediately to onboard security personnel. Those who have already left the ship can contact their local law enforcement agency and the FBI through its national tip line or online reporting system.

If convicted, Pawar faces up to two years in federal prison on each count of abusive sexual contact.

The criminal complaint contains allegations only. Pawar is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.

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