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Mar-07-2008Feds: Upscale Prostitution Ring Busted(topic overview)
CONTENTS:
- NEW YORK (AP) — Four people were arrested Thursday and accused of organizing a prostitution ring that charged wealthy clients in Europe and the U.S. thousands of dollars for prostitutes rated by diamonds. (More...)
- Lewis's lawyer, Daniel Gordon, declined to comment. (More...)
- The ring was known as the Emperor'''s Club VIP and had 50 prostitutes available for appointments in New York, Paris, Washington, Miami and London, according to a federal complaint issued in United States District Court in Manhattan. (More...)
- Prosecutors say the prostitution ring operated in Manhattan, Washington, Los Angeles, Miami, London, and Paris. (More...)
- Yes, I would call that a basic human right; even if it requires the consent of two people, so does entering a contract and I would say that's a protected human right as well. (More...)
- Wow - just had an idea - marry the prostitute, pay her, and annul it the next day. (More...)
- Do not confuse the act/service/product with the "consumer". (More...)
SOURCES
NEW YORK (AP) — Four people were arrested Thursday and accused of organizing a prostitution ring that charged wealthy clients in Europe and the U.S. thousands of dollars for prostitutes rated by diamonds. The conspiracy charges against the man and three women accuse them of running the Emperors Club VIP ring from at least December 2004, U.S. Attorney Michael Garcia said. On its Web site, the company displays photographs of the prostitutes' bodies, with their faces hidden, along with hourly rates depending on whether the prostitutes were rated with one diamond, the lowest ranking, or seven diamonds, the highest. [1] U.S. Attorney Michael Garcia announced that charges were unsealed in Manhattan accusing the four of participating in a prostitution ring that called itself Emperors Club VIP. Authorities said the defendants arranged connections between wealthy men and more than 50 prostitutes in New York, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, Miami, London and Paris.[2]
Prosecutors say the four used the Emperors Club to arrange connections between wealthy male clients and more than 50 prostitutes in, among other places, New York City, Washington, D.C.; Los Angeles, Miami, Florida; London and Paris.[3] According to court documents obtained by WNBC.com, the Emperors Club was used to connect wealthy male clients with more than 50 prostitutes in New York, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Miami, London and Paris.[4]
The payments were made to U.S. banks in the names of front companies set up by Brener and Suwal, including two accounts named "QAT Consulting Group, Inc." and "QAT International, Inc." Using a Web site to advertise its prostitution services, the Emperors Club displayed pictures of the prostitutes' bodies and ranked them using a scale of one to seven diamonds. Some clients were offered a "buy-out clause" allowing them direct access to a prostitute without having to use the services of the club, court papers state.[4] To conceal the illegal nature of the business, Brener and Suwal allegedly received prostitution proceeds in United States bank accounts in the names of front companies, including two accounts in the names of '''QAT Consulting Group Inc.,''' and '''QAT International, Inc.''' The Emperors Club advertised their prostitution services in part through the use of a website that included photographs of Emperors Club prostitutes''' bodies, with their faces hidden, along with hourly rates for different categories of prostitutes.[3]
The defendants charged the clients fees ranging from $1,000 to more than $5,500 per hour for prostitution services. The Emperors Club allegedly took in more than $1 million in illicit proceeds from its international prostitution business. It accepted payment in the form of cash, American Express charges, wire transfers, and money orders, prosecutors said.[3] According to the Website, the Emperors Club charged $1,000 per hour for a three-diamond prostitute, and $3,100 per hour for a seven-diamond prostitute. The website also offered the Emperors Club'''s most valued clients '''membership''' in the '''Icon Club,''' a status which allowed the clients to access restricted areas of the Website and permitted them to schedule appointments with the most highly-ranked prostitutes, whose fees started at $5,500 per hour. According to the website, in certain circumstances, the Emperors Club also offered its clients the opportunity to exercise a '''buy-out clause,''' which permitted them to purchase direct access to one of the Emperors Club'''s prostitutes without having to contact the agency.[3]
Much of the complaint traced how law enforcement authorities learned about the business through tape-recorded telephone calls and text messages. For instance, two of the defendants discussed on Feb. 7 that an Emperors Club client had complained that one of their prostitutes was "more sex than sexy," the document said. Four days later, two of those charged exchanged text messages noting that the three-day rates for two prostitutes were $50,000 and $35,000, respectively, Hosey said.[5]
The four people are accused of federal prostitution crimes in connection with the Emperors Club VIP. Two of the suspects are also charged with money laundering.[6] NEW YORK -- Key members of an international prostitution and money laundering ring, known as the Emperors Club VIP, were arrested Thursday by IRS and FBI agents, prosecutors told WNBC.com.[4] NEW YORK (AP) - An international prostitution ring that charged wealthy clients in Europe and the United States up to $5,500 an hour for the body of their choice was stripped of its high-class veneer with the arrest of four organizers, prosecutors announced Thursday.[5] Federal prosecutors have charged four people with running an international prostitution ring headquartered in Manhattan that charged clients up to $5,500 an hour.[7]
Four organisers and managers of the international ring were arrested by U.S. authorities and charged with conspiracy to violate federal prostitution laws, Newsday.com reported. Another two of the men were also accused of attempting to launder more than $1.08 million in illicit proceeds from business.[8]
Lewis's lawyer, Daniel Gordon, declined to comment. U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael H. Dolinger ordered that Brener be held without bail after prosecutors said $600,000 in cash and an Israeli passport were found in his apartment. Brener's lawyer, Jennifer Brown, said her client was a U.S. citizen who had lived in the United States for 20 years. Suwal was not immediately able to post her $500,000 bail. Her lawyer, Daniel Parker, said she denies the charges. "We're going to conduct a thorough investigation into the charges," he said. "At the end of the day, we think she'll be completely vindicated." Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Stein said he believed the arrests shut down the ring. [1] NEW YORK - Four organizers and managers of an international ring were arrested after they ranked prostitutes on a Web site with one to seven diamonds -- charging wealthy clients $2,000 extra for a seven-diamond woman, prosecutors said Thursday.[2]
A three-diamond prostitute would cost $1,000 per hour while a seven-diamond prostitute would charge $3,100, prosecutors said. The Icon Club allowed access to the most highly ranked prostitutes at $5,500 an hour, they said.[5] Prosecutors say that the club had 50 prostitutes who billed between $1,000 and $5,500 an hour and as much as $50,000 for a three-day engagement.[7]
Realist, prostitutes that charge between $1,000 to $5,500 an hour are generally not slaves. They are professional athletes.[9] Fees for the prostitutes ranged from $1,000 to more than $5,500 per hour, officials said.[4]
The appointments, made by way of on online booking service, cost between $1,000 and $5,500 an hour and could be paid for with cash, credit, wire transfers or money orders, the complaint said.[9] The criminal complaint states IRS agents discovered that clients made payments for services in cash, American Express charges, wire transfers and money orders beginning in 2004.[4] Brener and Suwal each face an additional 20 years in prison, if convicted of the money laundering charge. The group's website, which can be access through an internet archiving service, described its services in an indirect manner. A section of the site, Portfolio, had a selection of photos of women, all with their faces obscured.[8] Mr. Brener and Ms. Suwal each face an additional 20 years in prison, if convicted on charges of laundering nearly $1 million dollars through two front companies, QAT Consulting Group Inc. and QAT International Inc.[9]
If convicted of a conspiracy charge to violate federal prostitution laws, Ms. Lewis and Ms. Hollander could face a maximum of five years in prison.[9] Mark Brener, Cecil Suwal, Temeka Rachelle Lewis and Tanya Hollander have been charged with violating federal prostitution statutes.[4] The four persons charged are Mark Brener, Cecil Suwal, Temeka Lewis, and Tanya Hollander. They are charged with several crimes, including conspiring to send prostitutes across state lines to engage in sex.[7]
Brener and Suwal were also charged with conspiring to launder more than $1 million in illicit proceeds from the prostitution crimes.[3] Brener, accused of being the leader and recruiter of the prostitutes, and Suwal, accused of controlling the operation's bank accounts, also were charged with conspiracy to launder more than $1 million in illicit proceeds.[1]
Brener and Suwal are also charged with laundering more than $1 million of the proceeds from the illegal operation, U.S. Attorney Michael Garcia said.[4]
According to the United States attorney'''s office in Manhattan, the leader of the ring was Mark Brener, 62, of New Jersey, who delegated day-to-day responsibility of the business to Cecil Suwal, 23, also of New Jersey.[9] The United States attorney's office said the leader of the ring was Mark Brener, 62, of New Jersey, who delegated operational duties to Cecil Suwal, 23, also of New Jersey, the newspaper reported.[8]
The ring was known as the Emperor'''s Club VIP and had 50 prostitutes available for appointments in New York, Paris, Washington, Miami and London, according to a federal complaint issued in United States District Court in Manhattan. [9] All four were arrested Thursday morning. In a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, FBI agent Kenneth Hosey said clients were told they could pay with a wire transfer to the Emperors Club because it would show up on records as QAT Consulting to make it appear to be a business transaction.[5]
Brener was allegedly the leader of the Emperors Club, with ultimate decision-making authority. He recruited prospective prostitutes, determined how to market the Club''' sprostitutes to clients, and resolved problems that arose.[3] Suwal was the day-to-day organizer of the club'''s operations. She controlled the Emperors Club bank accounts, supervised the booking agents, and received applications from the prospective prostitutes.[3] In connection with Thursday'''s takedown, the FBI and IRS-CID executed three search warrants on locations connected to the Emperors Club's operations and four seizure warrants for bank accounts containing proceeds of the organization's criminal activities. Brener. 62, and Suwal, 23, both reside in New Jersey.''[3] Brener was the leader while Suwal ran the day-to-day operations of the Emperors Club, officials said.[4]
The defendants, prosecutors say, were associated with an escort service called the Emperors Club. According to its Web site, the Emperors Club provides introductions to models, as well as investment services and contemporary art sales. The Emperors Club bills itself on its Web site as the "elite recreation venue and private club for those accustomed to excellence."[7]
Prosecutors say the prostitution ring operated in Manhattan, Washington, Los Angeles, Miami, London, and Paris. [7] Federal authorities have announced the arrests of four people accused of running an online prostitution ring that had clients in major cities from New York to Paris and took in more than $1 million in profits over four years.[9] Well Id say Tax the service and take in the revenues. It would better serve for the Government to prosecute the Pfizers/Merril Lynch/Chase/etc and the Enron's of the world along with corrupt City/State and Federal Agencies and go after other white collar crimes. After all at 5 grand an hour the people able to pay for such services come from White collar professions that allow for making such services possible for them to pay for. I would say pass the law that prostitution is legal provided they pay a tax, their health coverage is paid for and compulsorily mandated and managed.[9] Like some of the other posters, I think there are more important targets for law enforcement than a high class prostitution ring. The service they provided isn't legal, for a number of debatable reasons, and allowing it to operate with impunity violates the spirit and the letter of the justice system. The only thing that gives me pause is the length of the jail terms they're facing.[9] Thousands of years of prostitution can't be wrong. Or you rather have men raping unwilling women? All prostitution needs it's legalization in order for the women not to be abused; the same way they protect women from sweat shops by forcing the employers to be half decent-they don't think about closing the shops, just make them comply with labor laws-, the same way they should protect prostitutes so they can go to work without worrying about abusive pimps and stupid law enforcement.[9]
People have always traded sex for privilege or power. Sometimes it's called prostitutionat others, marriage. I personally think prostitution should remain illegal because very, VERY few of those girls really are there willingly. If it's not coerced and a woman really and truly enters into the arrangement willingly, I have a hard time convincing myself that it's wrong with a "just because it is" explanation. It's just as wrong as a woman who marries a powerful man for money, or women who marry for visas.[9] Would anyone explain to me what's the difference between a prostitute and a wife who stays with her husband not for love anymore, but because she needs economic support? They both do it for the money. I don't see any difference between a prostitute and a wife in an arranged marriage, where parents choose their children's spouses in order for the two families to become a bigger economic power. Now, who determines that prostitution is bad? And why? It brings to my mind the case of the guy who sold his mother. The one who bought her favors, left satisfied; she enjoy the sex, which was not frequent anymore, and her son walked away with a few bucks. What's wrong with this deal? The fact that's the oldest profession, proves that they provide a necessary service.[9]
U.S. authorities have smashed an online escort service that gave its prostitutes a one to seven diamond-ranking, with a "seven diamond" woman costing $US5500 ($5921) an hour.[8] Lewis and Hollander were accused of arranging meetings between prostitutes and clients. They were released late Thursday on $250,000 bail each. Hollander's lawyer, Mary Mulligan, said her client "leads a quiet life."[1] Lewis and Hollander were allegedly booking agents for the club. They took requests from clients and coordinated meetings with prostitutes over the telephone, and referred issues relating to payment to Suwal.[3]
Suwal oversaw the ring's accounts and oversaw two booking agents, Tameka Rachelle Lewis, 32 of Brooklyn, and Tanya Hollander, 36, of Rhinebeck, New York, according to court papers quoted by the paper.[8] Ms. Suwal controlled the ring's bank accounts and oversaw two booking agents, identified by the authorities as Tameka Rachelle Lewis, 32 of Brooklyn, and Tanya Hollander, 36, of Rhinebeck, N.Y., according to court papers.[9]
Yes, I would call that a basic human right; even if it requires the consent of two people, so does entering a contract and I would say that's a protected human right as well. Grant you, it's only truly been recognized in the U.S. since the SCOTUS struck down the last remaining sodomy laws a few years back. [9] In the case of organ contracts, I don't know if allowing the wealthy to have an advantage benefits everyone. If organ contracts were allowed, wouldn't this increase the number of organs in the market and potentially help more people than the current system? Or would wealthy people buy up all the organs themselves, thereby helping no one but the wealthy? Bottom line - questions about organ and sex contracts are not really moral in nature, but social/factual in nature. Society makes this distinction for sex because of society's history.[9] Having consentual sex is not illegal, and neither should the contract to have sex be illegal."[9] Having consentual sex is not illegal, and neither should the contract to have sex be illegal. It seems like the only contract to have consentual sex that has been respected is the marital contract.[9]
Wow - just had an idea - marry the prostitute, pay her, and annul it the next day. When did prostituion get elevated to a protected human right? Or do you mean the right to have sex in general? And even then its not a human right since usually, parties need consent of somebody else to have sex. I have a right to sell my legs partly because no one else can claim that they have a right to them (until I sell them that is). [9] Well, that was essentially my point. What I was looking for was a justification as to why society makes this distinction when it comes to sex (i.e., consensual sex between adults is only criminal if money exchanges hands. "And when did prostituion get elevated to a protected human right? Or do you mean the right to have sex in general? And even then its not a human right since usually, parties need consent of somebody else to have sex."[9]
With respect to the arguments over whether one should prosecute prostitution or not, criticize the politicians, not the DAs doing a good job. Personally, I believe respecting women's rights in society is appropriate, and so is this prosecution for prostitution. I am speaking about women's rights as a whole, rather than an individual woman's right to do a disservice to her gender and make some cash.[9]
I couldnt think of a worse way to spend our tax dollars and waste valuable man-hours than fighting high-end prostitution rings.[9] Like every other online crime, removing these perps will only clear the way for another entrepreneur to fill the "need" for an internet-based prostitution ring.[9]
Do not confuse the act/service/product with the "consumer". Its people who are abusive and dangerous. When an act is criminalized, is it really a big surprise that the majoirty who commit the act are dangerous and absuvie in nature? Actually, a good place to answer this question is Nevada where prostitution is legal - how much abuse takes place there compared with a state where prostitution is illegal. [9] The courts in at least California have ruled that a third party paying two people to have sex and filming it are protected by freedom of expression. They ruled that prostitution was when one person (typically male) paid another person (typically female) to have sex with them.[9] Newsflash Tony - we are all treated as commodities - prostitutes sell sex and I sell my intellect. Commodifying people does not necessarily dehumanize them - again, confusing the act with the actor. I infer from your statement, however, that you dehumanize people who are treated as commodities, such as prostitutes.[9]
A $1000 to $5,500 an hour for a la carte sex isn't unreasonable when considering the overhead of a wife who provides infrequent unenthusiastic sex.[9] The accused ring leaders took in more than $1 million, law enforcement officials say.[7] Manhattan prosecutors busted a multi-million dollar international prostitute ring Thursday.[6] Authorities said the defendants arranged connections between wealthy men and more than 50 prostitutes in New York, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Miami, London and Paris.[5] The Website ranked the prostitutes using a ranking system from one to seven diamonds, and charged hourly rates according to the assigned ranking.[3]
SOURCES
1. The Associated Press: Feds: Upscale Prostitution Ring Busted
2. Prostitution ring catered to wealthy clients in U.S., Europe -- Newsday.com
3. International Prostitution Ring Busted
4. Prosecutors: Leaders Of International Prostitution, Money Laundering Ring Arrested - Investigations News Story - WNBC | New York
5. NY: Prostitutes catered to wealthy clients in US, Europe - NewsFlash - SiLive.com
6. NY1: Top Stories
7. Four Charged in High-Priced Prostitution Ring - March 6, 2008 - The New York Sun
8. Busted: online escort ring was a real gem - Technology - theage.com.au
9. Federal Charges in Online Prostitution Ring - City Room - Metro - New York Times Blog
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