Friday, July 3, 2009

Hollywood madam charged celebrities £30,000 for girls

A mother of two has admitted to being a Hollywood madam who supplied £30,000-a-night girls to celebrities and public figures.

Michelle Braun, 31, has reached a plea deal with prosecutors in the US after pleading guilty to money laundering charges and prostitution.

She employed more than 70 women who included fashion models, Hollywood actresses and Playboy centrefolds, she has claimed.

The women would charge up to £30,000 for one night with a client.

The identities of Miss Braun's clients has not been revealed but her lawyer said they include well known celebrities and public figures.

"Let's just say you'd be shocked," said Marc Nurik.

"They ranged from captains of industry, Hollywood types, sports figures and even people more influential."

Miss Braun ran her online escort service from Los Angeles and her home in Boca Raton, Florida.

Prosecutors said her company, Global Travel Network, was a front for the high-class call girl service.

She also fronted "Nici's Girls" where men had to pay a £1,000 membership fee just to look at the girls' photos on the internet.

FBI agents conducted a two year undercover operation to trap Miss Braun, who apparently filled in the void left for high class call girls after the arrest and jailing of the Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss in 1997.

Prosecutors said Miss Bruan paid her taxes on time and was able to escape evasion for over ten years.

She was caught after agreeing to fly a girl from Los Angeles to New York to meet a client who was an undercover FBI agent.

Agents were able to arrest her for transporting a woman across state lines for sex and seized her computers and phone records.

Miss Braun is estimated to have made more than £5 million from running the prostitution ring.

Mr Nurik admitted that men who used Miss Braun's service did so to arrange sex.

"I'm not sure people would pay money to meet a porn star and talk about Stephen Hawking's newest book," he said.

Prosecutors in Santa Ana, California, have recommended Miss Braun be sentenced to a fine of £20,000, six months of home confinement and spend five years on probation.

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