PHILADELPHIA - A WEALTHY Russian-born businessman is charged with travelling to orphanages in his native country to molest teenaged girls and hire them out as prostitutes.

Federal authorities say 38-year-old Andrew Mogilyansky, who lives in suburban Philadelphia, molested three girls from a St. Petersburg orphanage and then recruited them into an Internet-based child prostitution business. Investigators say the girls were 13 and 14.

Authorities say Mogilyansky was arrested on Tuesday. He is due in court for a detention hearing on Friday.

Four Russian men have been convicted in their home country in connection with the case. -- AP