L.A.angle in Spitzer case

The prostitution ring that implicates NY Gov. Eliot Spitzer was doing business in Los Angeles, according to a complaint unsealed last week in Federal District Court in Manhattan. Here's the complaint and here's a NYT story. The ring, known as the Emperor’s Club VIP, had 50 prostitutes available for appointments in L.A., NY, Washington, Miami, London and Paris (Spitzer had been caught in a wiretap in Washington). The Web site showed pictures of the prostitutes (cropped so faces were not visible). Federal agents recorded more than 5,000 calls and text messages and had access to 6,000 e-mail messages, court papers said. As for L.A., Clients 3 and 4 are described as having made arrangements for prostitutes at hotels in Santa Monica and Beverly Hills. One of the defendants, Temeka Rachelle Lewis (aka Rachelle), told Client 3 that "Samantha would be available on Thursday, Jan. 24 at 3:30 p.m. Client 3 said he would make hotel arrangements.

LEWIS told Client-3 that because of a "new policy," the Emperors Club would require a 55% deposit for his date with "Samantha." Based on other calls intercepted in this case, I believe that the reason LEWIS asked Client-3 for a 55% deposit was because the Emperors Club was having problems collecting money from "Samantha," who they believed might be abusing drugs. Client-3 stated: "What?" LEWIS explained that " [t] he office would just e-mail you the financial details so that you could either do a wire transter or . . . a direct deposit." Client-3 responded: "A wire transfer from my bank?,, LEWIS said yes, or a direct deposit intobank. Client-3 asked whether direct deposit meant going to the bank himself, and LEWIS confirmed that it did. LEWIS said that most clients did wire transfers, and Client-3 stated: "I don't really like either one . . . ah . . . and,to whom does it get paid?" LEWIS stated: 'It's to QAT Consulting, so it's a consulting firm . . . I mean it shows up like as a business transaction." Client-3 told LEWIS that it was getting harder and harder to do business with 'them' [a reference to the Emperor's Club]." (Call 2690R).

[CUT]

At approximately 6:38 p.m., TEMEKA RACHELLE LEWIS, a/k/a "Rachelle," the defendant, using the 6587 Number, called "Samantha."' LEWIS told "Samantha" that she had a problem with her telephone earlier, "Samantha” said she was driving there now. (Call 3485R). One minute later, at approximately 6:39 p.m., LEWIS, using the 6587 Number, called Client-3, and told him that "Samantha" would be there in five to ten minutes. (Call 3486R). At approximately 6:56 p.m., TEMEKA RACHELLE LEWIS, a/k/a "Rachelle," the defendant, using the 6587 Number, received a call from "Samantha," who told LEWIS that she was there. LEWIS said it was room 506, and told her where the elevators were. (Call 3489R). Approximately three minutes later, at approximately 6:59 p.m., LEWIS, using the 6587 Number, called "Samantha." LEWIS told her: "I forgot to tell you, you're 'Samantha.'" "Samantha" said okay, and that she had just walked in and "everything's great." (Call 3497R). Approximately two hours later, at approximately 8:59 p.m., TEMEKA RACHELLE LEWIS, /k/a "Rachelle," the defendant, using the 6587 Number, called Client-3. LEWIS asked Client-3 how his meeting was, and Client-3 said it was great. Client-3 and LEWIS then discussed a new prostitute on the Website. (3527R).

More on Spitzer in my post at Lawdragon.