Cruise ship hairstylist charged with allegedly molesting passengers during fake massages
Jul 6, 2026, 4:01 PM
Cruise ships anchored off the coast. (Photo: Naomi Baker, Getty Images)
(Photo: Naomi Baker, Getty Images)
A 26-year-old citizen of India was charged Monday with two counts of abusive sexual contact while aboard a cruise ship docked in Seattle, where he allegedly gave passengers massages and sexually molested them.
Pranit Narayan Pawar, a hairstylist, was arrested late last week once the cruise ship, the Brilliant Lady, docked in Seattle, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced.
The complaint alleged that Pawar sexually molested multiple passengers aboard the cruise ship under the guise that he was giving each of them a massage.
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Pawar allegedly offered free massages to women who booked salon appointments
Pawar was hired to provide hair care services, but during a recent voyage to Alaska, he began offering massages to women who booked hair appointments, according to the criminal complaint.
In one instance, Pawar offered a free massage to a victim if she agreed to book three other appointments with the salon. In the two cases charged in the complaint, Pawar transferred the women to a smaller room beside the salon.
While offering a massage, Pawar allegedly moved his hands under the victims’ shirts and onto their breasts. In at least one instance, Pawar allegedly locked the door before assaulting the victim.
The DOJ noted that the case is being prosecuted in federal court because the crimes occurred within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States. The FBI has been tasked with investigating physical and sexual assaults within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction.
Pawar will make his initial appearance at 2 p.m. in Tacoma on Monday. Abusive sexual contact is punishable by up to two years in prison.
The DOJ asked anyone who may have been a victim of one of these crimes on a cruise or have witnessed one take place to report it to cruise ship security staff immediately. Any report can be submitted through local police, the FBI at 1-800-255-5324, or to tips.fbi.gov.
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