Who is Ramesh Karki? IU professor arrested in human trafficking sting in Ohio

An Indiana University professor from Richmond, Ramesh Karki, was arrested last month after the 44-year-old was busted in a statewide human trafficking sting known as “Operation Buyer’s Remorse,’ conducted by authorities in Ohio.

On Monday, October 2, 2023, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced Ramesh Karki was among the 160 people arrested in a "weeklong statewide human trafficking crackdown."

Karki, who was booked into jail on a soliciting charge, was taken into custody on September 27 in Dayton. While the charges did not elaborate on the extent of his crimes, Yost said that the suspects were arrested for seeking or engaging in prostitution.

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What we know about the charges levelled against Ramesh Karki

Ramesh Karki is an associate professor of mathematics at Indiana University Who graduated with a Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of Toledo in 2014.

On Monday, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced Ramesh Karki was on a list of suspects arrested in a statewide s*x sting known as “Operation Buyer’s Remorse,’ conducted by authorities in Ohio.

The list, which was released by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost's office, said that “Operation Buyer’s Remorse” was launched on September 25 in the state of Ohio, where law enforcement officials tracked down suspects exploiting young victims. The suspects reportedly included people from all backgrounds, including teachers, nurses, and former law enforcement officials.

“Operation Buyer’s Remorse” took place from Sept. 25-30 “in every corner of the state,” according to Yost’s office. “Those arrested come from all backgrounds, including an EMT, nurses, educators, retirees, former law enforcement officers, self-employed individuals, delivery drivers and others.”

Yost said that over the course of the week, over a hundred suspects were arrested on various charges, including for engaging and promoting prostitution, seeking to have s*x with minors and illegal possession of firearms and narcotics. Yost revealed that the arrests stemmed from interviewing 104 survivors of human trafficking, who were provided with resources to deal with the trauma.

Ramesh Karki was reportedly arrested on the soliciting charge. Yost added that the arrests were a result of a concerted effort to cull the demand that ‘fuels’ human trafficking.

“Law enforcement across Ohio teamed up in a concerted effort to stem the demand that fuels human trafficking,” Yost said. “The success of this operation is measured not only by the number of arrests but also by the resources offered to survivors of human trafficking and the intelligence gathered that will propel long-term investigations forward.”

Yost praised the efforts of everyone involved in the investigation that led them to successfully crack down on human trafficking in Ohio.

“Nearly 100 law enforcement agencies and service organizations participated in this operation – I am grateful for each and every partner who dedicated their time and resources, as we all play a key role in the fight against human trafficking,” Yost said. “Our message is simple: Don’t buy s*x in Ohio!”

Ramesh Karki was reportedly released on bond after he was booked into Daytona jail. Among those arrested were U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Shawn Ryken and Maj. Jason Goins, UD administrator Michael Masterson.