The Linden Row: New York Shocker P1: Governor Eliot Spitzer's (Client 9) Alleged In Involvement With Prostitution Ring

Will Spitzer (AKA "George Fox") Choose The McGreevey Option?

(VIEW THE MOST RECENT UPDATES HERE.)

Read the full (Redacted) Text of the Emperors Club Federal Indictment

Here (or Above).
The Governor is said to have been recorded making arrangements to pay for and meet a prostitute (Kristen) in Room #871 Mayflower Hotel, Washington D.C. on Feb 13, 2008
(See more Screen captures like those to the right at The Hufington Post.)

Cheering broke out on NYSE floor as news that the man, who was seen as an anti-Wall Street Attorney general, was caught in a very public case of hypocrisy.

The Governor, identified Federal telephone wiretaps as Client 9, spoke at approx. 3:15pm EST and addressed this salacious controversy by apologizing for his actions and saying he would take time with his family to sort things out.

In that address he said that politics should be about more than one man and that the welfare of the State of New York and its constituents should be the primary concern. This line of reasoning appears to be setting the stage for an impending resignation. Read the full text of his statement here.

Earlier today he informed his staff that he has been involved in a prostitution ring . Ironically, the man who sought ethics reform, and held himself as an ethical pillar, may be guilty of the very things he railed so loudly against.

The New York Times, earlier today published this story. The AP published this follow-up shortly thereafter.

Cleint #9, identified as Spitzer, is said to have been recorded by Federal agents making arrangements to meet a prostitute (Kristin) in Room #871 of the Washington DC Mayflower Hotel Feb 13. The governor payed $4300 and was recorded discussing making arrangements to get an additional $2700 to pay his remaining balance (and the possibility of paying an additional $1500 for additional services). Additionally the Governor is said to have been taped making arrangements for future rendezvous, and addressing small details such as payment for the bourbon in the room.

This all started with one of take-down last Thursday of the high profile Emperor's Club VIP. The club billed itself as a service providing introductions for wealthy men and investment advice. The service charged up to $5500 per hour, and the list of clients seized in the raid was rumored to include the name of a "high profile public official."

In addition to the wiretap recordings, the Feds apparently also have recovered the electronic records of Spitzer's text messages to the woman co-ordinating the details of this now ill-fated rendezvous.

What They're Saying Around The Rest Of The Web

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 our 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. target="_blank"^[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]