A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/california" target="_blank" rel="noopener">California</a> bill that would make purchasing child sex a felony up from a misdemeanor moved forward on Tuesday, but not before Democrats made significant changes.
The bipartisan <a href="https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240SB1414" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bill</a> would raise solicitation of a minor from a misdemeanor to a felony punishable by up to four years in prison, and a fine of up to $25,000. The bill would also require a person convicted of soliciting a minor to register as a sex offender for 10 years.
However, the new version of the bill would only allow prosecutors to level felony charges if the minor was under 16, meaning those who attempted to buy sex with a 16-year-old or 17-year-old could still only be charged with a misdemeanor.
On Tuesday, Democrats on the Senate Public Safety Committee <a href="https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billVotesClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240SB1414" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passed</a> the bill after making this and several other changes.
The bill&#8217;s author, Republican State Senator Shannon Grove, reacted with dismay to the new amendments, her voice <a href="https://www.kcra.com/article/california-sb-1414-passes-changes-made-groves/60515287" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shaking</a> as she responded.
&#8220;To force these amendments on me in front of survivors, to water this down to avoid 16 and 17-year-olds,&#8221; Grove said.
In a statement after the committee hearing, Grove criticized the &#8220;hostile amendments&#8221; to her bill.
Under the new version, buyers would still be &#8220;ineligible for prison&#8221; even if the child they solicited was 15 or younger, she <a href="https://sr12.senate.ca.gov/content/sen-groves-measure-make-purchasing-child-sex-felony-rejected-senate-public-safety-committee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
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“I’m incredibly disappointed that not only did my colleagues reject my proposal to make the buying of children for sex a prison felony, but that I was blindsided when they amended my bill without my consent,&#8221; Grove said.
“Unfortunately, the members of the public safety committee continue their soft on crime approach at the expense of California’s most vulnerable, our children,&#8221; she added.
Last week, Grove explained that she spoke to sex trafficking survivors last year who told her, “You’ve got to go after the buyers” in order to really crack down on the child sex trade.
“I want to make the solicitation, the person who’s going out there going, ‘Hey little 13-year-old, 14-year-old, 15-year-old, I want to get that person. I want that person to face felony charges. That’s what the bill does,” Grove said during a phone interview with The Daily Wire.
The Democrat who moved to amend the bill was State Senator Nancy Skinner, who represents the Berkeley area. Two other Democrats, Scott Wiener and committee chairwoman Aisha Wahab voted to move forward with the amendments against Grove&#8217;s will.
Wiener, who represents the San Francisco area, previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/newsom-signs-bill-making-california-sanctuary-for-child-gender-surgery" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sponsored</a> a law in 2020 that says adults who have oral or anal sex with a child ten years younger than them may not have to register as sex offenders, leaving that decision to a judge. The law supposedly addressed discrimination against LGBT people.
In 2022, Wiener sponsored another law that made California a sanctuary state for child transgender surgery, prohibiting doctors and officials from cooperating with out-of-state attempts to stop a child from getting puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, or gender surgery.

Lonely boy and his shadow

California Dems Water Down Bill To Make Buying Child Sex A Felony

California

Child Abuse

Child Sex Abuse

Crime

Scott Wiener

Sex Trafficking

U.S.

Recording artist <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/celebrities">Sean “Diddy” Combs</a> posted on <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/instagram">Instagram</a> on Easter Sunday, just days after his mansions in Los Angeles and Miami were raided by federal agents in connection with a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/sex-trafficking">sex trafficking</a> investigation.
The 54-year-old rapper and music mogul posted a photo carousel featuring images of his 17-month-old daughter, Love, dressed up for the holiday. &#8220;HAPPY EASTER from Baby Love,&#8221; Diddy wrote in the caption.
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The recording artist has more than 20 million followers on the platform. Commenting was turned off on the post. 
Diddy shares his youngest daughter with Dana Tran. He also has six other children with various women. 
The Bad Boy Records founder has been making headlines all week following the Department of Homeland Security serving search warrants at Combs&#8217; multiple homes. He also faces sexual assault lawsuits from five different people dating back to last year. Two of the complaints also include sex trafficking allegations.
TMZ <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2024/03/28/diddy-feds-subpoenas-companies-sex-trafficking-investigation-raids/">reported</a> last week that companies doing business with Combs, including a private charter jet firm, phone provider, and computer specialists, were being issued subpoenas during the investigation. 
Diddy’s lawyers condemned the raids on his properties. &#8220;There was a gross overuse of military-level force as search warrants were executed at Mr. Combs’ residences,&#8221; lawyer Aaron Dyer said in a statement, per <a href="https://people.com/diddy-returns-to-instagram-after-home-raids-with-easter-photo-of-daughter-love-8621850">People</a>. &#8220;There is no excuse for the excessive show of force and hostility exhibited by authorities or the way his children and employees were treated.&#8221;
&#8220;This unprecedented ambush — paired with an advanced, coordinated media presence — leads to a premature rush to judgment of Mr. Combs and is nothing more than a witch hunt based on meritless accusations made in civil lawsuits,&#8221; Dyer continued, adding that “there has been no finding of criminal or civil liability with any of these allegations. Mr. Combs is innocent and will continue to fight every single day to clear his name.&#8221;
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Diddy had also declared his innocence at the end of last year when the sexual assault lawsuits were initially filed. 
“For the last couple of weeks, I have sat silently and watched people try to assassinate my character, destroy my reputation and my legacy,” Combs said in December.
“Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick payday,” he said. “Let me be absolutely clear: I did not do any of the awful things being alleged. I will fight for my name, my family and the truth.”

Diddy

Diddy Posts To Instagram For First Time Since Feds Raided His Mansions

Celebrities

Entertainment

Lawsuit

Sexual Abuse

A video showing Sean &#8220;Diddy&#8221; Combs with then 15-year-old singer <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/justin-bieber" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Justin Bieber</a> went viral on social media this week in light of the the federal raids on two of Combs&#8217; homes this week.
Agents with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) descended upon Combs’ homes in Los Angeles and Miami on Monday as part of a federal criminal investigation into allegations related to sex trafficking, sexual assault, and the solicitation and distribution of illegal narcotics and firearms, NBC News reported.
The video of Bieber and Diddy, which was originally posted on Bieber&#8217;s YouTube account 14 years ago, garnered millions of views on social media this week in light of the criminal probe.
The two are seen touring one of Diddy&#8217;s homes in the video as the rapper shows off a Lamborghini sports car and promises Bieber that the car is his once he turns 16.
&#8220;When you get 16, you come down, you gotta, you know, wear a seatbelt and everything,&#8221; he said. &#8220;The keys is yours when you, you know, when you get 16, you&#8217;re good to go. Then when you&#8217;re 18, you get the house. You get the mansion.&#8221;
Addressing the camera, Combs said that Bieber was &#8220;having 48 hours with Diddy, him and his boy, um, they&#8217;re having a times in their lives, like, like, like, you know, where we hanging out and what we doing, we can&#8217;t really disclose.&#8221;
&#8220;But um, it&#8217;s definitely a 15 year old&#8217;s dream,&#8221; Combs said. &#8220;You know, I have been given custody of him. You know, he&#8217;s signed to Usher. I had legal guardianship of Usher when, you know, he did his first album. I did his first album.&#8221;
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&#8220;But for the next 48 hours, he&#8217;s with me,&#8221; he added. &#8220;And we&#8217;re gonna go full, buck-full crazy. Crazy. What do you want to do? What you want to do over the next 48 hours?&#8221;
&#8220;48 hours? Let&#8217;s go, um, let&#8217;s just go get some girls,&#8221; Bieber said. &#8220;Let&#8217;s go hang out with some girls.&#8221;
&#8220;A man after my heart, that&#8217;s what I&#8217;m talking about,&#8221; Combs responded.
WATCH:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="JUSTIN BIEBER&#039;s 48 HRS with DIDDY!!" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kxHwfTpQjpc?start=4&#038;feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

BET-SOS Saving Ourselves  Help for Haiti Benefit Concert

Resurfaced Video Of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs With Justin Bieber Goes Viral In Light Of Alleged Sex Trafficking

Justin Bieber

Rap Music

According to an email in the <a href="https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4355835/1325/5/giuffre-v-maxwell/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">second tranche of documents</a> related to the late convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, former President Bill Clinton allegedly put pressure on Vanity Fair to kill a story about sex trafficking and his &#8220;good friend J.E.&#8221;
The documents, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/names-of-jeffrey-epsteins-associates-to-be-unsealed-with-few-exceptions">unsealed</a> pursuant to a mid-December court order from Manhattan Federal Judge Loretta Preska, were part of a civil lawsuit filed by Epstein victim Virginia Roberts Giuffre against the financier&#8217;s convicted co-conspirator, Ghislaine Maxwell.
While the majority of the documents in the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/heres-whats-in-the-epstein-docs-so-far" target="_blank" rel="noopener">first tranche</a> pertained almost solely to the criminal behavior exhibited by Epstein and Maxwell, the second tranche delivered a list of associates whom Giuffre believed could have knowledge of that criminal behavior.
Among those with potential knowledge of Epstein&#8217;s and Maxwell&#8217;s dealings listed in the documents were Prince Andrew, Duke of York and Clinton; one of Clinton&#8217;s advisers, Doug Band; and Sophie Biddle. Others listed in the documents included deceased model scout Jean-Luc Brunel, deceased Gov. Bill Richardson (D-NM), and financier Les Wexner.
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Here we see the addition of other John Does and witnesses (some new) &#8211; 
All with potential knowledge of &quot;Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein&#39;s sexual trafficking&quot;
Bill Clinton Doug Band (Clinton advisor) Prince Andrew Sophie Biddle <a href="https://t.co/KMIAnoY0z4">pic.twitter.com/KMIAnoY0z4</a>
&mdash; Techno Fog (@Techno_Fog) <a href="https://twitter.com/Techno_Fog/status/1743054927893545233?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2024</a></blockquote>
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According to one email included in the filing, Giuffre wrote to journalist Sharon Churcher about Clinton&#8217;s alleged efforts to kill a story that might have shed light on Epstein&#8217;s sex trafficking activities.
&#8220;When I was doing some research into VF yesterday, it does concern me what they could want to write about me considering that B. Clinton walked into VF and threatened them not to write sex-trafficing [sic] articles about his good friend J.E.,&#8221; Giuffre wrote.
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Former Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter pushed back, telling <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/01/04/bill-clinton-put-pressure-on-vanity-fair-not-to-cover-epste/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Telegraph</a>: &#8220;This categorically did not happen.&#8221;
Journalist Vicky Ward <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/annals-of-communications/why-didnt-vanity-fair-break-the-jeffrey-epstein-story" target="_blank" rel="noopener">also claimed</a> that Epstein had worked to prevent Vanity Fair from writing a similar story.
&#8220;&#8216;I have reports here about you, your husband — I have everything under the sun that was sent to me by people who want to be helpful,'&#8221; Ward <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12930469/vanity-fair-graydon-carter-denies-bill-clinton-jeffrey-epstein-claims.html?ns_mchannel=rss&amp;ns_campaign=1490&amp;ito=social-twitter_mailonline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">quoted Epstein</a>, saying he had threatened her directly after she interviewed two of his victims, sisters Maria and Annie Farmer.
Carter denied that as well, saying that the outlet had opted to cut certain information from the story because it had not been submitted in time and had not met legal standards.
The documents do not go so far as to accuse Clinton of doing anything illegal.
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The Epstein method of operation is well known at this point, but it&#39;s important to see the words of his victims.
One victim brought other high school girls to Epstein.
Epstein wanted her &quot;emancipated&quot; so she could live with him. <a href="https://t.co/k7CWblMVFh">pic.twitter.com/k7CWblMVFh</a>
&mdash; Techno Fog (@Techno_Fog) <a href="https://twitter.com/Techno_Fog/status/1743059464909898025?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Other documents spoke to Epstein&#8217;s pattern of behavior — bringing in girls and then sending them out to recruit other girls — and efforts to get the girls in his orbit to become emancipated, giving him more access and control over them.

2023 Clinton Global Initiative

Second Epstein File Dump Alleges Clinton Tried To Bury Vanity Fair Sex Trafficking Story

Bill Clinton

Courts

Ghislaine Maxwell

Jeffrey Epstein

Vanity Fair

A woman who alleged she had been sex-trafficked by the late Jeffrey Epstein chortled when news broke that the identities of 170 people connected with Epstein will be revealed.
Virginia Giuffre, who claimed she was forced to have sex with Prince Andrew when she was 17 at Epstein’s home, eventually settled a $12 million lawsuit with Prince Andrew. She reacted to Manhattan federal Judge Loretta Preska ordering the release of sealed documents from a defamation suit Giuffre filed in 2015 against Epstein’s madam, Ghislaine Maxwell.
 “Finally we are hearing members of the US government senators about the need for transparency and a call to arms for accountability!! There’s going to be a lot of nervous ppl over Christmas and New Years, 170 to be exact, who’s on the naughty list? This wouldn’t be possible without the Honourable Judge Preska,” Guiffre tweeted, adding, “Merry early Christmas. Dozens of Jeffrey Epstein associates, victims likely to publicly ID&#8217;d in court docs in coming weeks — thank you and many blessings for Judge Preska. A truth seeker &amp; justice maker.”
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Finally we are hearing members of the US government senators about the need for transparency and a call to arms for accountability!! There’s going to be a lot of nervous ppl over Christmas and New Years, 170 to be exact, who’s on the naughty list? This would t be possible without… <a href="https://t.co/xVfFfQ0UMH">https://t.co/xVfFfQ0UMH</a>
&mdash; Virginia Giuffre (@VRSVirginia) <a href="https://twitter.com/VRSVirginia/status/1737337186012541013?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Merry early Christmas-Dozens of Jeffrey Epstein associates, victims likely to publicly ID&#39;d in court docs in coming weeks- thank you and many blessings for Judge Preska. A truth seeker &amp; justice maker 🎄♥️🫶🌟🦋 <a href="https://t.co/uncu0I8EHI">https://t.co/uncu0I8EHI</a>
&mdash; Virginia Giuffre (@VRSVirginia) <a href="https://twitter.com/VRSVirginia/status/1737329578534998215?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Preska gave the individuals who will be named two weeks to appeal the decision, adding that most of the names had already been made public.
“Former President Bill Clinton and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates are just some of the prominent figures anticipated to be featured in the report — after both were photographed with alleged Epstein victims,” The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/12/20/news/jeffrey-epstein-victim-virginia-giuffre-taunts-those-to-be-named-in-unsealed-docs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. In 2019, Clinton&#8217;s spokesman <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/08/politics/bill-clinton-jeffrey-epstein/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>, “President Clinton knows nothing about the terrible crimes Jeffrey Epstein pleaded guilty to in Florida some years ago, or those with which he has been recently charged in New York,” adding, “In 2002 and 2003, President Clinton took a total of four trips on Jeffrey Epstein’s airplane: one to Europe, one to Asia, and two to Africa, which included stops in connection with the work of the Clinton Foundation. &#8230; He had one meeting with Epstein in his Harlem office in 2002, and around the same time made one brief visit to Epstein’s New York apartment with a staff member and his security detail.”
When she filed the lawsuit against Andrew, Guiffre <a href="https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/567063-epstein-victim-files-lawsuit-against-prince-andrew-alleging/">stated</a>, “I am holding Prince Andrew accountable for what he did to me. The powerful and rich are not exempt from being held responsible for their actions. I hope that other victims will see that it is possible not to live in silence and fear, but to reclaim one’s life by speaking out and demanding justice.”
“I did not come to this decision lightly,” she added. “As a mother and a wife, my family comes first — and I know that this action will subject me to further attacks by Prince Andrew and his surrogates — but I knew if I did not pursue this action, I would be letting them and victims everywhere down.”

Jeffrey Epstein Mug Shot

‘Who’s On The Naughty List’: Alleged Epstein Victim Celebrates Release Of Names From Sealed Documents

Bill Gates

Virginia Guiffre

Tennessee Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn <a href="https://twitter.com/MarshaBlackburn/status/1722763300629266562?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">asked</a> Senate lawmakers on Thursday to approve a subpoena against the estate of deceased wealthy financier and convicted sex offender <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/jeffrey-epstein" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jeffrey Epstein</a>, demanding Congress gains access to flight logs from his private plane.
&#8220;Given the numerous allegations of human trafficking and abuse surrounding Mr. Epstein, we&#8217;ve got to identify everyone who could have participated in his horrific conduct,&#8221; Blackburn said in a <a href="https://www.blackburn.senate.gov/2023/11/democrats-sham-hearing-abruptly-ends-shortly-after-blackburn-pushes-subpoenas-on-justice-sotomayor-staff-epstein-flight-logs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news release</a>.
Blackburn announced she filed the request during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing surrounding Sen. Dick Durbin&#8217;s (D-IL) attempts to investigate Supreme Court ethics issues. Amid a fiery exchange between the two lawmakers, Blackburn announced a series of subpoenas, including the one against Epstein&#8217;s estate.
&#8220;I think it is very important that we identify everybody that was on that plane, and how many trips they took on that plane and the destinations to which they arrived,&#8221; she said.
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JUST IN &#8211; U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn has filed a subpoena to obtain Jeffrey Epstein&#39;s flight logs.<a href="https://t.co/gWcK8PtMOj">pic.twitter.com/gWcK8PtMOj</a>
&mdash; Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) <a href="https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/1722716829628465257?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 9, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Epstein died in his New York prison cell in August 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking charges that involved running a &#8220;vast network&#8221; of underage girls for sex. He pleaded not guilty to the charges prior to his death at 66 years old.
Insider previously <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/faa-accidentally-released-jeffrey-epsteins-flight-records-2021-10?_gl=1*qc1121*_ga*MTk2NDUxOTI1NS4xNjk5NTc5NTE1*_ga_E21CV80ZCZ*MTY5OTU3OTUxNC4xLjEuMTY5OTU4MTMzOC42MC4wLjA." target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that Epstein had owned at least three jets, including a Gulfstream II sold in November 2013, a Gulfstream IV sold before his arrest, and a Boeing 727 nicknamed the &#8220;Lolita Express,&#8221; which infamously transported prominent individuals and girls all around the world.
The so-called Lolita Express private jet has been the subject of controversy amid the accusations brought against Epstein and, in particular, the flight records connected to the plane that supposedly include the names of those who traveled with him.
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In December 2021, prosecutors <a href="https://www.insider.com/ghislaine-maxwell-trial-jeffrey-epstein-private-jet-flight-records-revealed-2021-12" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> released thousands of flight records in the sex-trafficking trial of his alleged accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell, who pleaded not guilty but was ultimately convicted.
In addition to who flew on the plane, the 118-page collection of flight logs reportedly contains other information such as dates, points of departure and arrival, number of landings, and the pilot&#8217;s signature.
Victims of Epstein, and one of his pilots, have since come out and claimed that public figures, including Bill Gates, Prince Andrew, and Donald Trump, traveled with the disgraced financier.
Insider reported flight manifests unsealed in a defamation case against Maxwell included former President Bill Clinton, supermodel Naomi Campbell, and the astronaut John Glenn.
FAA records obtained by Insider found Epstein&#8217;s jets flew mainly between his former primary residences in New York and Palm Beach and his estates in Paris, New Mexico, and the Virgin Islands.

Senate Republicans Hold Capitol Hill Press Conference On Border Security

Sen. Blackburn Requests Subpoena Of Jeffrey Epstein’s Estate, Demanding Infamous Flight Logs

Sen. Blackburn Subpoenas Jeffrey Epstein's Estate Demanding Infamous Flight Logs

Marsha Blackburn

A high-end brothel network servicing &#8220;wealthy and well-connected clientele&#8221; in apartment complexes in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/massachusetts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Massachusetts</a> and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/virginia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Virginia</a> was uncovered by federal investigators, leading to the arrest of three men allegedly connected to the commercial sex ring.
&#8220;This commercial sex ring was built on secrecy and exclusivity, catering to wealthy and well-connected clientele,&#8221; acting U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts Joshua Levy <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/massachusetts-virginia-brothel-prostitution-commercial-sex-ring-arrests/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a news conference in Boston.
Authorities said in a <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/three-arrested-operating-high-end-brothel-network" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news release</a> the commercial sex buyers included elected officials, high-tech and pharmaceutical executives, doctors, military officers, government contractors who possess security clearances, professors, attorneys, scientists, and accountants, among others.
&#8220;Pick a profession; they&#8217;re probably represented in this case,&#8221; Levy said.
Levy said the identities of the commercial sex buyers were not shared, but indicated that could change as the investigation is ongoing and far from over.
The three individuals charged with conspiracy to coerce and entice to travel to engage in illegal sex activity included James Lee, 68, of Torrance, California, Han Lee, 41, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Junmyung Lee, 30, of Dedham, Massachusetts.
According to the court documents, the three men operated an interstate prostitution network in multiple brothels in Cambridge and Watertown, Massachusetts, as well as in Fairfax and Tysons, Virginia, from at least July 2020.
Authorities said the men allegedly enticed primarily Asian women to travel to Massachusetts and Virginia to engage in prostitution in rented high-end apartment complexes as brothel locations that were furnished and regularly maintained.
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The three men accused allegedly ran two websites that advertised nude Asian models for professional photography at upscale studios as a front for prostitution offered through appointments with women listed on their websites.
Levy said clients would first have to fill out a form with personal information, including their names, work information, email addresses, phone numbers, and a reference, before booking an appointment, costing up to $600 an hour.
The clients were then given a &#8220;menu&#8221; of options and paid the women in cash.
&#8220;Business is booming, until today,&#8221; Levy told reporters.
If convicted, the charged individuals face up to 20 years in prison and fines of up to $250,000.
&#8220;It&#8217;s through these investigative efforts that we shine a light on sexual trafficking as a global issue,&#8221; Cambridge Police Commissioner Christine Elow <a href="https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/feds-to-announce-sophisticated-high-end-brothel-network-bust-in-mass-va/3184748/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> said at the news conference.

Businessman in car giving money to prostitute, illegal sex trade, female escort

Three Men Arrested In Connection To Sex Trafficking Ring Servicing ‘Wealthy And Well-Connected Clientele’

Sex Trafficking Network Involving 'Wealthy And Well-Connected Clientele' Busted By Authorities, 3 Men Arrested

Department of Justice

Human Trafficking

Prostitution

Three people have been charged in a “high-end” brothel scheme in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/massachusetts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Massachusetts</a> and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/virginia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Virginia</a> that had politicians, tech executives, and government contractors as customers, according to the Department of Justice. 
Han Lee of Cambridge, Massachusetts, James Lee of Torrance, California, and Junmyung Lee of Dedham, Massachusetts, were charged with conspiracy to coerce and entice to travel to engage in illegal sexual activity. 
According to the DOJ, the three suspects <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/three-arrested-operating-high-end-brothel-network" target="_blank" rel="noopener">allegedly</a> ran “sophisticated high-end brothels in greater Boston and eastern Virginia. Commercial sex buyers allegedly included elected officials, high tech and pharmaceutical executives, doctors, military officers, government contractors that possess security clearances, professors, attorneys, scientists and accountants, among others.”
According to an <a href="https://www.justice.gov/d9/2023-11/usa_v._han_lee_et_al_-_complaint_affidavit_redacted.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">affidavit</a> from a special agent with the Department of Homeland Security who investigated the case, the suspects advertised women for commercial sex on two different websites “under the guise of professional nude photo shoots” and “established brothels.”
The locations in Massachusetts used for the commercial sex were in Cambridge and Watertown, Massachusetts, both cities not far from <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/boston" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Boston</a>. The locations used in Virginia were in Tysons and Fairfax, wealthy northern Virginia cities not far from <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/washington-d-c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Washington, D.C</a>.
Clients would book appointments with an Asian woman on one of two websites and then would be sent a location, according to the DOJ. Both sites claimed to not promote commercial sexual activity, but investigators said women were advertised on the sites for prostitution. 
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The investigation has been ongoing since 2020 and about 20 “sex buyers” were interviewed, the affidavit said. Customers would be sent a “menu” and would be able to choose what kind of sexual experience they would have, the DOJ said. Investigators said customers paid between $350 and $600 per hour for sexual services. 
“All three target subjects have engaged in substantial amounts of cash deposits and peer-to-peer transfers with one another and others who I believe are tied to the conspiracy. I believe this transfer of money is consistent with the targets sharing the proceeds of the prostitution business and also disguising the true nature and source of the funds,” the affidavit said.
The customers, which included politicians and military officials, were not named. The affidavit said that this was because the investigation into their involvement with prostitution was ongoing.

Feds Bust ‘High-End’ Prostitution Network That Had Politicians, Pharma Execs, And Military Officials As Customers

Boston

Department of Homeland Security

Massachusetts

Virginia

Washington D.C.

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/jp-morgan">JPMorgan Chase</a>, the largest investment bank in the U.S., said it would pay $75 million to settle a lawsuit accusing the financial institution of facilitating <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/jeffrey-epstein" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jeffrey Epstein</a>’s sex-trafficking network. 
The U.S. Virgin Islands sued the bank for $190 million, claiming it looked the other way from suspicious payments and money transfers while Epstein committed sex crimes. The trial was set to begin on October 23. 
According to the Virgin Islands, the <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/09/26/jpmorgan-to-settle-jeffrey-epstein-suit-by-virgin-islands.html?__source=sharebar%7Ctwitter&amp;par=sharebar" target="_blank" rel="noopener">settlement</a> “includes several substantial commitments by JPMorgan Chase to identify, report, and cut off support for potential human trafficking, including establishing and implementing comprehensive policies and procedures.”
Of the settlement, $20 million will go toward legal fees, while $55 million will be allocated for anti-trafficking efforts by the Virgin Islands and charities. 
“As part of the settlement, JPMorgan has agreed to implement and maintain meaningful anti-trafficking measures, which will help prevent human trafficking in the future,” Virgin Islands Attorney General Ariel Smith said in a statement.
“This settlement is an historic victory for survivors and for state enforcement, and it should sound the alarm on Wall Street about banks’ responsibilities under the law to detect and prevent human trafficking,” Smith added. 
According to the Wall Street Journal, Epstein <a href="https://www.wsj.com/finance/banking/jpmorgan-paying-75-million-to-settle-suit-over-jeffrey-epstein-ties-545e7824" target="_blank" rel="noopener">maintained</a> dozens of bank accounts with JPMorgan and regularly communicated with leadership at the bank. 
“While the settlement does not involve admissions of liability, the firm deeply regrets any association with this man, and would never have continued doing business with him if it believed he was using the bank in any way to commit his heinous crimes,” JPMorgan said in a statement. 
At the same time the settlement between the Virgin Islands and JPMorgan was announced, the bank said it had settled with former executive Jes Staley, who was close to Epstein.
Staley has been sued by JPMorgan, which blamed the bank’s connection to Epstein on him. The details of that settlement have not been disclosed. 
Emails between Staley and Epstein allegedly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/virgin-islands-and-jpmorgan-accuse-each-other-of-enabling-jeffrey-epstein-in-new-court-filings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">show them discussing</a> someone described as “Snow White.” Staley allegedly emailed Epstein from his work account on July 9, 2010, saying, “That was fun. Say hi to Snow White.” Epstein reportedly replied, “What character would you like next,” to which Staley allegedly replied, “Beauty and the Beast.”
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In an <a href="https://assets.bwbx.io/documents/users/iqjWHBFdfxIU/rh8weMHKF6X0/v0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">additional filing</a> from the Virgin Islands, Staley was allegedly told by then-JPMorgan CEO Douglas Warner that Epstein was “one of the most connected people I know of in New York,” saying he should meet him. 
JPMorgan <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jpmorgan-to-settle-sex-trafficking-lawsuit-with-epstein-victims-for-290-million" target="_blank" rel="noopener">previously settled</a> with victims of Epstein’s trafficking operation for $290 million. While the bank has agreed to settle, it has not acknowledged any wrongdoing. 
The bank had accused the Virgin Islands of complicity with Epstein, claiming that the territory “created a haven for Epstein’s criminal activity.”

Patrick McMullan Archives

JPMorgan Settles Another Jeffrey Epstein-Related Suit Weeks Before Trial Date

JP Morgan

Virgin Islands

A pair of alleged child sex traffickers were busted at a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/florida" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Florida</a> motel thanks to the quick thinking of the motel&#8217;s owner, resulting in the rescue of two minor girls.
Ricardo Flores, 44, and Maria Barrios Calero, 44, were arrested Sunday and charged with human trafficking.
Motel owner Richard Baron said Flores checked into Lago Motor Inn just south of West Palm Beach by himself around 6 a.m. on Sunday.
About a half hour later, the motel owner knocked on the door after learning there was an argument happening inside between Flores and Calero.
&#8220;He [Flores] opened the door, and then I see two young women, girls, sitting in yoga style, in the middle of the bed,” Baron <a href="https://cbs12.com/news/local/ricardo-flores-maria-barrios-calero-human-trafficking-arrested-two-female-minors-saved-lago-motor-inn-hotel-clerk-observed-palm-beach-sheriff-office-florida-august-7-2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> local outlet WPEC. “She [Calero] says to me, ‘He has to pay, he didn’t pay.&#8217; I don’t know what happened between them.&#8221;
The motel owner also spotted a condom near Flores as the two girls sat on the bed with him while the two human trafficking suspects argued about a transaction.
“The girls were sitting right over here, quiet, eyes like this, looks scary,” Baron said.
Baron was shocked by the scene, called the police, and filmed Calero attempting to drive away with the two young girls. He shared the footage with the local outlet WPEC.
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The Palm Beach Sheriff&#8217;s Office&#8217;s Human Exploitation and Trafficking Unit reportedly responded around 8 a.m. and confirmed both minors appeared to be victims of commercial sex trafficking.
&#8220;Initial fact-finding by detectives on scene confirmed the commercial sex trafficking of two minor victims,&#8221; the Palm Beach County Police Department <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/florida-sex-traffickers-busted-thanks-vigilant-hotel-worker-police" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a statement. &#8220;The two minor victims along with the two suspects were transported to a local substation for interviews.&#8221;
Flores allegedly paid to have sex with both girls.
Calero was charged with three counts of human trafficking, and Flores was charged with two counts of human trafficking.
Both were arrested and taken to the Palm Beach County Jail. Calero&#8217;s bond was set at $750,000, while Flores&#8217; bond was set at $500,000.
Baron has been working at the motel for the past 12 years and has taken the legally mandatory training to report red flags of child sexual exploitation and forced prostitution to authorities.
State Attorney Dave Aronberg heads up Palm Beach County&#8217;s human trafficking task force along with the sheriff’s office.
&#8220;That&#8217;s going a long way to ending modern day slavery,&#8221; Aronberg <a href="https://cbs12.com/news/local/ricardo-flores-maria-barrios-calero-human-trafficking-arrested-two-female-minors-saved-lago-motor-inn-hotel-clerk-observed-palm-beach-sheriff-office-florida-august-7-2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> of one of the task force&#8217;s human trafficking awareness campaigns, a poster for which was spotted inside the motel.
&#8220;We can’t be everywhere. We depend on the public to be our eyes and ears. That’s why we see mandatory signage in places where we have a number of individuals who have been victims of human trafficking, like bus stations and rest stops on the highway,” the state attorney said.
Human trafficking is a significant problem in Florida, which ranks as the third highest state for human trafficking cases, according to the Florida Alliance to End Human Trafficking.
The average age of a victim when forced into sex trafficking is 12 to 14 years old, and in 2021, more than 10,000 cases of human trafficking were identified in Florida through a hotline, the group says.
&#8220;Palm Beach County is actually the third in the state as far as reports of Human Trafficking go,&#8221; Director of Victim Services Nicole Bishop <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/florida-sex-traffickers-busted-thanks-vigilant-hotel-worker-police" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.

On the Road 50 Years Later

Alleged Florida Sex Traffickers Busted, Two Minor Girls Freed Thanks To Motel Owner

Florida

One avenue in New York City is reportedly overrun by brothels doing business in broad daylight, frustrating residents who say the aggressive prostitutes loiter outside, and sometimes even proposition children.
Nearly a dozen brothels now operate on one street in the Corona neighborhood of Queens, luring in clients on Roosevelt Avenue near Junction Boulevard, the New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/07/29/nyc-neighborhood-overrun-by-broad-daylight-brothels/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
The operations are not confined to night life on the weekends, either.
One &#8220;sex worker&#8221; offered a “happy ending” massage for $40 and another offered “full-body massages” for $80, the Post reported.
Drunk men looking for sex from prostitutes also hang around the area, <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/07/30/residents-shops-fume-over-nycs-seedy-market-of-sweethearts-red-light-district/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to residents.
The open illegal sex trade has caused consternation for moms in the neighborhood, who say the prostitutes recruit local children to hand out their X-rated business cards, some of which include photos of scantily clad women.
A group of about 20 moms has formed the Community of Young Values and Principles in Corona to combat the sex trade&#8217;s targeting of their children.
“The police do nothing — nothing!” <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/07/30/residents-shops-fume-over-nycs-seedy-market-of-sweethearts-red-light-district/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> one woman who works at a cell phone store on the avenue. “Drugs, prostitution, alcohol — it’s terrible.”
“I have younger kids,” said a local mom of six. “One is 14, one is 8, and one is 5. And these girls, they try to pull them in and sell them their services. Even the kids! They’re really forceful about it.”
Meanwhile, the NYPD has <a href="https://pix11.com/news/local-news/prostitution-busts-drop-sharply-as-nypd-sends-targeted-messages-to-johns/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">backed off</a> arresting prostitutes in recent years, instead cracking down on &#8220;johns,&#8221; or those who buy sex.
In 2020, only 96 prostitutes were <a href="https://pix11.com/news/local-news/prostitution-busts-drop-sharply-as-nypd-sends-targeted-messages-to-johns/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arrested</a> in New York City, a dramatic drop from the 1,790 who were arrested in 2014, and a world away from the <a href="https://gothamist.com/news/there-used-to-be-tens-of-thousands-of-prostitution-arrests-in-nyc-now-about-100" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nearly</a> 20,000 prostitution arrests New York made in 1985.
Some advocates worry that Central American and Asian women are particularly at risk for sex trafficking.
&#8220;There are trafficking cartels from Mexico and Central America who ship women into Queens and parts of Brooklyn,&#8221; <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/07/29/nyc-neighborhood-overrun-by-broad-daylight-brothels/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Taina Bien-Aime, executive director of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women.
Some of the brothels even advertise on YouTube in Spanish with videos showing the women soliciting men on the sidewalk of Roosevelt Avenue and naming their price for sexual services.
One video on the channel Comunidad Latina En Usa, which has more than 20,000 YouTube subscribers, called the avenue the &#8220;Market of Sweethearts.&#8221;
“How much, for example, does it cost for a happy ending?” two men ask one of the women.
“Two hundred dollars,” the woman says.
The Queens district attorney managed to shut down at least six alleged brothels since June through nuisance laws, the Post reported, which means they can be hit with large fines and closed for a year.
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However, residents say many brothels are still operating in the borough and that the police <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/07/30/residents-shops-fume-over-nycs-seedy-market-of-sweethearts-red-light-district/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bother</a> street vendors selling food more than the prostitutes openly selling sex.
“The NYPD has proactively shifted the work of vice enforcement in recent years, reflecting our ongoing efforts to focus with precision on those who would purchase sex or promote its sale,&#8221; the NYPD <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/07/30/residents-shops-fume-over-nycs-seedy-market-of-sweethearts-red-light-district/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a statement.
“We have significantly reduced the number of arrests for prostitution itself as we work in every case to connect the victims of human trafficking with the services they need,” the police department said. “We have also worked to proactively deter individual buyers of sex. Yet prostitution in all forms remains prohibited by law.”
New York is also struggling with <a href="https://gothamist.com/news/street-homelessness-on-the-rise-in-nyc-despite-sweeps-survey-shows" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a rise</a> in homelessness and some forms of violent crime, including car thefts and felony assault. There have been <a href="https://www.nyc.gov/assets/nypd/downloads/pdf/crime_statistics/cs-en-us-city.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">over 1,300</a> more car thefts so far this year than by this time last year, and about 800 more felony assaults. Murder, rape, and robbery are down this year, however.

Pussycat Cinema

NYC Avenue Reportedly Overrun With Prostitutes Soliciting In Broad Daylight, Propositioning Kids: ‘Police Do Nothing’

New York Avenue Reportedly Overrun With Prostitutes Soliciting In Broad Daylight, Propositioning Kids: 'Police Do Nothing'

Immigration

New York

New York City

Most Americans believe slavery was a terrible atrocity from the history books.
In terms of pure scale, however, slavery is more alive and well today than at any time in human history.
During the horrors of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, nearly 13 million Africans were ripped from their homes and forced against their will to foreign destinations. Today, according to the U.S. State Department, there are over 27 million global victims of human trafficking at any given time.
Many of those victims are children, stolen and forced into the sickening practice of sexual slavery.
The new movie “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sound-of-freedom-estimated-to-hit-100-million-mark" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sound of Freedom</a>” — based on my life story — has been a surprise box office success, and is sparking a national conversation on child sex slavery and trafficking, the fastest-growing criminal enterprise on earth. This unprecedented humanitarian crisis is happening in our country, and on our watch. The United States is generally understood to be the #1 consumer of child exploitation material in the world, while Mexico is one of the top exporters via a porous U.S.-Mexico border.
Members of Congress have sounded the alarm on information that the government has lost track of 85,000 minors that crossed the border unaccompanied, and The New York Times reported that the Department of Health and Human Services has lost contact with thousands of children who were released to “sponsors,” and are now feared to be at risk for exploitation. Bottom line, Americans are beginning to understand that if we don’t get on top of this growing $150 billion a year criminal enterprise, none of our kids will be safe.
The incredible reaction to “Sound of Freedom” demonstrates that we are ready to tackle this horror, and has given our movement a new level of momentum. But, if we are going to save children, it’s going to take a massive coalition of groups in almost every country in the world.
There’s an urgent need to bring organizations together that are able to raise awareness, conduct rescue operations, help with critical aftercare for freed children, and work with governments to ensure trafficking hotspots don’t remain as perpetual stains on the globe. All of these elements — and the multi-faceted details within each category — require specialists working in their defined areas, while coordinating with the larger anti-trafficking effort.
This realization began for me in February of 2022, when my wife, and actor/director Mel Gibson, both called me on the same day, asking me to help desperate women and children who were displaced by the war in Ukraine and at risk of being trafficked.
After recognizing the need in Ukraine, I looked for a non-profit that was on-the-ground, had a legal right to be there, and had a strong working relationship with locals … and what was left of the authorities. I then reached out to an incredible group called Aerial Recovery, and we immediately got to work. Leads uncovered during our work in Ukraine and Eastern Europe led to a rescue operation represented by Operation Underground Railroad, Aerial Recovery, Free a Girl, and other organizations which, because of operational security, can’t be named.
This three-continent operation, which I personally led, began in Ukraine and ripped through Holland, the U.S., Mexico, Ecuador, and other locations which are still too sensitive to be revealed. Together, we helped dismantle an international pedophile ring and took down a child sex hotel/brothel in Latin America. Thousands of people — including over 900 orphans — were rescued in Ukraine alone, and hundreds of additional children were rescued in other countries.
We did this all in the short span of just a few months.
That moment redefined what is possible, and showed a new path for ending human trafficking once and for all. Numerous organizations working in tandem, around the globe, rescued vulnerable women and children trapped in a war zone.
But the story doesn’t end there.
Helping to free children from trafficking requires more than an effective rescue effort — kids who have been recovered then require focused and intensive, long-term aftercare to be made whole again.
The aftercare process requires highly specialized counseling, therapy, and tailored interventions that are trauma and survivor informed. The global aftercare program and initiative that Operation Underground Railroad launched is one of the best in the world. Other pioneers in the space include many aftercare trailblazers, notably Jessica Munoz, founder of Ho`ōla Nā Pua and Pearl Haven.
Aftercare efforts don’t make headlines and will never be seen in a blockbuster movie, but it is the vital work that helps children find healing and be able to move forward with their lives after suffering the horrible abuses of sexual exploitation.
I am immensely proud of Operation Underground Railroad and what has been accomplished since its founding — as well as other organizations I have been involved in — and I will continue to support O.U.R. and so many others in this movement through an amazing new initiative called <a href="https://thespearfund.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Spear Fund</a>. 
The Spear Fund is an effort to focus on the overall battlefield. Clearly, we can use the momentum from “Sound of Freedom” to fuel a larger global movement, which is what I am dedicating my life to doing.
Like an orchestra conductor, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tim-ballard-who-inspired-sound-of-freedom-out-at-both-organizations-he-led" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Spear Fund</a> is leading the charge. Joining other experts, like Jessica Munoz, we’ll be training, equipping, and supporting certified groups who are leading the fight in their specific lane. Spear is designed to finance and coordinate with multiple anti-trafficking organizations and experts, providing an effective global coalition for action when and where it matters most. If the child trafficking cartels can coordinate to destroy children, the good people of the world can team up to save them and make them whole.
Make no mistake, the war against the child trafficking cartels and their allies is going to be long, difficult, and hard-fought, but — ultimately — we can and must win.
The only way that happens is if we do it together.
When we are united, evil doesn’t stand a chance.
Tim Ballard is a senior advisor of <a href="https://thespearfund.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Spear Fund</a>, his early efforts in combating human trafficking can be seen in the recently released movie &#8220;Sound of Freedom.&#8221; 
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Self defense

Why We Need A Global Coalition To Fight Child Trafficking

Opinion

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