Uber said it ‘immediately banned’ the four drivers, who are accused of carrying out multiple attempted kidnappings and sexual assaults on female passengers amid an ongoing FBI investigation
Four Uber drivers have been charged with kidnapping and trying to sexually assault passengers in a ‘horrific’ string of attacks.
Three of the men – Barney Flores, 35, Cesar Martell, 32, and Janake Manatunga, 57 – are set to face a court in Houston, Texas on federal charges – while another, 42-year-old Abdou Mbacke, has fled the country.
Mbacke faced an allegation from one woman who said she passed out drunk in his taxi, and woke up naked next to him in a motel bed hours later. The FBI believes there could be more victims, and is urging anyone who may have information to come forward.
Female passenger ‘woke up naked in motel’
In December 2023, Mbacke is alleged to have picked up the 22-year-old woman, and took her to a motel instead of her intended destination when she passed out drunk. The woman told detectives that when she woke up, she was naked and in a bed next to Mbacke – and said he quickly left when she began asking him questions.
Uber banned his account on the same day the woman reported the incident. Mbacke has not been seen since he booked a one-way flight out of the US on July 24 last year.
Multiple women come forward
Janaka Manatunga is accused of attempting to sexually assault a drunk female passenger after locking her in his car. Uber terminated its contract with the driver after receiving a report.
Cesar Martell was arrested in January 2024 after DNA evidence linked him to a 2021 attack. He is now facing multiple charges of kidnapping and sexual assault after multiple female passengers came forward.
In the June 2021 incident, he is alleged to have driven a woman to a petrol station where he tried to sexually assault and strangle her, before the victim managed to escape.
And in May 2023 incident, he allegedly told a victim to book a ride with him outside of the Uber app to avoid it being logged. He is then said to have kidnapped and sexually assaulted her.
Uber said it removed Martell from its platform as soon as it learned of the allegations and contacted police.
Barney Flores is alleged to have locked a passenger in his vehicle and attempted to sexually assault her, reportedly continuing to drive with her still in the car until she managed to escape and report the incident to the police.
‘We will find you and we will arrest you’, FBI warns drivers
In a press conference, FBI Houston Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Ryan Whalen, warned ride-hailing app drivers that they faced time in prison if they committed offences against their passengers.
Launching Operation Lighthouse, a new initiative to combat sexual assault of rideshare passengers, he said: “We will find you. We will arrest you, and we will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law and in this instance, federal law.”
Uber responds to allegations
Responding to the allegations in Houston, an Uber spokesperson told the Mirror: “Sexual assault and kidnapping are horrific crimes that have no place in our society or on the Uber platform.
“When we became aware of these allegations, we immediately banned the drivers involved and removed their access to the app.
“We have a dedicated global team, including former law enforcement professionals, available 24/7 to assist with active investigations.
“They’ve been working with federal prosecutors and will continue to do so. Safety is fundamental to our work, and we will continue to invest in innovative safety features, support law enforcement, and take swift action whenever we receive a serious safety report.”
