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Tag: human trafficking

  • ‘This happens often in Florida, one of the biggest… trafficking places in the world’: Florida Woman stays at hotel. Then others recount their stories.

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    Recently, The Mary Sue shared a story about a woman who was disturbed during a stay at a DoubleTree near Boca Raton, Florida. The post garnered significant attention, which led some viewers to supply tips about their experiences with hotels across.

    One viewer, Jordan Abner, shared that she and her husband Brian were disturbed in their hotel room while staying at two separate hotels in Tampa, Florida. While staying at a Baymont by Wyndham, an individual tried to enter their hotel room without a hotel key. She recounted that the man tried to “drill” inside the room after jiggling the lock. 

    Then, Jordan had a frighteningly similar encounter at a Hampton Inn—someone tried to enter the couple’s room and even opened the door while she was showering. Luckily, her husband was able to stop the man from entering the room. 

    After further recollection years down the line, Jordan believes these may have been deliberate, or in the very least, a reckless safety issue she encountered with both locations. She mentioned that “this happens often in Florida,” which is “one of the biggest… trafficking places in the world.” 

    What happened at the Baymont by Wyndham?

    When Jordan and her husband Brian checked into a reportedly closed Baymont by Wyndham, located at 3001 University Center Dr, in Tampa, they noticed some red flags. The hotel advertised that they had a pool and bar, but had neither. Instead, employees told the couple that they could “ bring [their] own alcohol and drink at the bar,” which immediately felt sketchy. Despite this, they checked in and went upstairs to sleep for the evening. 

    That evening, Jordan and her husband heard a strange sound coming from their doorway. Jordan woke up first, nudging her husband awake because she heard the door rattling due to a disturbance. They listened closely to see if someone would attempt to enter their room. After waiting for just a few seconds, they heard a buzzing sound that sounded like a drill.  

    “He goes and listens and then we hear a drill sound and my husband is like, ‘somebody’s trying to drill in this door… Something might happen,’” Jordan described. 

    Confused, Brian got up and approached the door. That’s when he saw two men trying to drill into their room. “ We didn’t have anything on us, like we didn’t even have a pocket knife at the time. And the two, there were two men there and they looked really, really surprised to see a guy there,” Jordan said. She mentioned that she was the one who made the booking—not Brian. That made her realize they may have thought she was alone.

    How did hotel staff address the issue?

    Later, when they went to speak to a front desk attendant, they were met with a complete lack of urgency. Similar to Breanna Holmes’ story, the hotel recounted that they didn’t check Jordan into the room.

    “ We immediately like went downstairs and told the girl at the front desk what was going on,” Jordan said. “And she really acted like she didn’t care. She couldn’t be bothered and they weren’t even gonna offer us a refund. [So], I made them refund us and we left.”

    After that point, Brian, Jordan’s husband, legally purchased a gun so that the family could defend themselves. 

    What happened at the Hampton Inn?

    While staying at a Hampton Inn located at 3333 Busch Blvd, Tampa, Florida, Jordan and Brian once again heard a strange noise at their door. This time, it was a man trying to open the door with a key. 

    Brian told his wife to get out of the shower while he addressed the disturbance. There, he came across a maintenance man who was actively letting himself into the room. 

    “ The door jiggles again, my husband whips the door open… By this time he has a gun, but not, you know, in his hand,” Jordan said. “So he whips the door open and the guy just looks at him and same scenario, ‘oh, I didn’t know anybody was in here.’”

    Brian left a review for the hotel after their stay, which read, “[The] hotel room was clean, front desk staff was friendly. Unfortunately while my wife and I were here we had a do not disturb on our door and a maintenance guy unlocked and attempted to enter the room. My wife was in the shower at this time and fortunately I was in the room and ran to the door and confronted him.” 

    Jordan recounted that the man looked “surprised” that a male came to the door. The couple then brought up the issue to the front desk, and were surprised to learn that “no maintenance”  was scheduled on the second floor where they were staying. 

    Notably, the hotel they stayed at was a Hilton property. DoubleTree, the hotel where Holmes experienced her frightening encounter, was also owned by Hilton.

    What happened afterward?

    The hotel stated that they would look into the matter, but the Abner family did not hear back regarding the situation. “This is extremely upsetting when you stay at a hotel you were under the impression that you are safe in your room and that no one can enter it unless you open the door. I would never stay at this hotel or any others like it ever again,” Brian stated in his review. 

    Even though hotels can technically enter rooms for maintenance issues or emergencies, Jordan and Brian found it strange that they experienced a similar incident two different times. Jordan cited the fact that she booked the hotels under her name as a possible reason why. In her comments to The Mary Sue, she warned other women that, “ You have to mind your surroundings and really pay attention to things for your own safety and for everybody else’s too… You should always let someone know where you are. Keep in touch with them, especially if you’re staying in a strange place or a new place on your own.”

    Since their experiences occurred, the Abner family has opted to avoid hotels entirely. Instead, they stay at Airbnbs when necessary. But both experiences have made Brian and Jordan avoid traveling for fun. At this point, they only leave their home for career-related events. 

    We’ve reached out to Hilton Inc via its press portal and Wyndham via email for comment.

    Have a tip we should know? [email protected]

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    Rachel Thomas

    Rachel Joy Thomas is a music journalist, freelance writer, and hopeful author who resides in Los Angeles, CA. You can email her at [email protected].

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  • Project Safe Neighborhoods expanding in North Texas to fight violent crime, feds say

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    The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas announced the expansion of the Project Safe Neighborhoods program into Northwest Dallas to combat firearms trafficking, human trafficking, and drug distribution.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas announced the expansion of the Project Safe Neighborhoods program into Northwest Dallas to combat firearms trafficking, human trafficking, and drug distribution.

    srimal@star-telegram.com

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas on Tuesday announced the expansion of the Project Safe Neighborhoods program into Northwest Dallas to combat violent crimes.

    The program aims to reduce violent crime by utilizing data, intelligence and community engagement, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould said during a press conference.

    The key partners in this project include the FBI; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; IRS and local police agencies, Raybould said.

    “We work very closely with the (Dallas police) chief here to pinpoint areas with significant violent crime rates. It combines and leverages federal, state and local law enforcement officials, prosecutors and community leaders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in our community,” Raybould said.

    Northwest Dallas has become a “corridor for organized criminal” activity, Raybould said. Law enforcement agencies said they have seen networks that exploit people, traffic narcotics and illegally move firearms.

    “Oftentimes, these crimes like drug trafficking and sex trafficking do not occur in isolation,” Raybould said.

    Project Safe Neighborhoods expands to Northwest Dallas, uniting federal and local partners to fight gun and drug crimes and human trafficking, and support victims, officials announced.
    Project Safe Neighborhoods expands to Northwest Dallas, uniting federal and local partners to fight gun and drug crimes and human trafficking, and support victims, officials announced. Shambhavi Rimal srimal@star-telegram.com

    Traffickers rely on guns for intimidation, control and protection of their criminal proceeds along with drugs to entrap and manipulate victims, launder money and commit various tax crimes, Raybould said.

    The program also provides support and resources to the victims through specialists who help them through the criminal process by accompanying them to court and notifying them of upcoming events along with mental health and counseling services, Raybould said.

    He said the goal for Northwest Dallas is to reduce violent crime linked to drugs, guns and human trafficking and increase early victim identification.

    “Our goal is ultimately, we want people to have a safe and better life,” Raybould said.

    Project Safe Neighborhoods provides the FBI and its partners with a platform to collaborate and develop a comprehensive approach to target significant violent crime in neighborhoods all across the nation, said Dallas FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jeremy Wright said.

    “We all live in the same communities and have the same role in fighting violent crime,” Wright said. “When we stand together, law enforcement, prosecutors, community leaders and residents … we will all succeed in making our community safer.”

    Project Safe Neighborhoods aims to reduce violent crime by leveraging data, intelligence and community engagement in Dallas, local and federal officials said.
    Project Safe Neighborhoods aims to reduce violent crime by leveraging data, intelligence and community engagement in Dallas, local and federal officials said. Shambhavi Rimal srimal@star-telegram.com

    The project is “truly important to the city” of Dallas, Chief of Police Daniel Comeaux said.

    “The collaboration that we have with our federal partners — that’s going to help keep Dallas safe,” Comeaux said.

    Why is Project Safe Neighborhoods expanding in Texas?

    Project Safe Neighborhoods operates in parts of Fort Worth, Northeast Dallas, and other areas of Texas.

    When asked why the program is expanding now and why the community should trust federal policing, Raybould said, “We’ve had conversations with our state, local and federal partners, and the time is now to come into this area. We’re looking at anyone and everyone — businesses, individuals — with all options on the table to reduce violent crime.”

    He said the program aims to earn community trust by “showing them the results.”

    “Part of the critical mission of what we do at PSN is community outreach,” Raybould said. “We routinely have these events to try to break down those barriers, but I have complete trust in the gentleman up here with me today that we make this community safer and continue to foster those deep bonds.”

    The community has raised concerns directly to the police chief and the federal agencies, so the program aims to have “more of a microscope to look at what’s happening,” he said.

    Raybould added that the Department of Homeland Security Investigations has been a critical partner in all Project Safe Neighborhood programs.

    “This is a violent crime reduction,” Wright, the FBI agent, said. “This is not an immigration enforcement activity. We’re going to help the citizens of North Dallas. We live and work here. My office is very close to here. I know how this community needs the help that the U.S. attorney is bringing.”

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    Shambhavi Rimal

    Fort Worth Star-Telegram

    Shambhavi covers crime, law enforcement and other breaking news in Fort Worth and Tarrant County. She graduated from the University of North Texas and previously covered a variety of general assignment topics in West Texas. She grew up in Nepal.

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  • North Texas massage school license revoked over fraud, human trafficking ties

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    A North Texas massage school’s license was revoked after investigators found falsified academic records and links to massage parlors closed for human trafficking, officials said.

    A North Texas massage school’s license was revoked after investigators found falsified academic records and links to massage parlors closed for human trafficking, officials said.

    A North Texas massage school’s license was revoked after investigators found falsified academic records and links to massage parlors closed for human trafficking, officials said on Wednesday.

    The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation revoked the license of ELM Health Institute LLC, at 1212 Melbourne Road in Hurst, according to a news release.

    The massage therapist and therapy instructor licenses of Petrus Evers, also known as Bas Evers or Petrus Sebastian Evers; and Jianwen Ma, also known as Jenny Ma or Jian Ma, were also revoked, the release stated.

    Evers and Ma will not be allowed to work as massage therapists or instructors or operate massage schools in Texas, according to the release.

    The owners allegedly falsified academic and internship records that were submitted to the department of licensing as part of students’ applications for massage therapist licenses, officials said.

    “Texas requires students to attend class in person for at least 250 hours of the minimum 500 hours needed for graduation and they must also complete a 50-hour internship class in person,” according to the release

    Investigators found that the school submitted contradictory attendance records indicating students attended classes both in person and online on the same day. “At least one student told investigators that she had attended no classes in person,” the release stated.

    The licensing department also found cases where the institute’s students and graduates were working at illicit message parlors that have been closed due to evidence of human trafficking at those establishments, the release stated.

    “The department also discovered other connections to the illicit massage industry,” according to the release.

    “Massage schools are expected to uphold rigorous educational standards to ultimately protect the health and safety of Texas consumers,” Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation Executive Director Courtney Arbour said in the release. “We will take immediate action when we find schools that are not adhering to state law.”

    Related Stories from Fort Worth Star-Telegram

    Shambhavi Rimal

    Fort Worth Star-Telegram

    Shambhavi covers crime, law enforcement and other breaking news in Fort Worth and Tarrant County. She graduated from the University of North Texas and previously covered a variety of general assignment topics in West Texas. She grew up in Nepal.

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  • ‘A Team’ of real estate brokers faces sex crimes trial in New York

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    NEW YORK — The brothers operated in the glitz and glamour of the Hamptons and South Beach. Two were high-end real estate brokers dubbed “The A Team.” The third went to law school and ran their family’s private security firm, which caters to heads of state and the rich and famous.

    They frequented nightclubs, cruised on yachts and flew on private jets. One lived alongside celebrities and corporate titans on Manhattan’s Billionaires’ Row. The others had multimillion-dollar waterfront mansions in Miami.

    But behind their posh, peripatetic facade, prosecutors say, Tal, Oren and Alon Alexander — known collectively as the Alexander Brothers — were predators who sexually assaulted, trafficked and raped dozens of women from 2008 to 2021, often after incapacitating them with drugs and sometimes recording their crimes on video.

    The brothers met victims at nightclubs, parties and on dating apps, and recruited others for trips to ritzy locales, paying for their flights and lodging at high-end hotels or luxe vacation rentals before drugging and raping them, prosecutors said. In all, dozens of women have accused them of wrongdoing.

    Now, the brothers — Tal, 39, and twins Alon and Oren, 38 — face a reckoning that prosecutors say was more than a decade in the making: a sex-trafficking trial that could put them in prison for the rest of their lives.

    Opening statements are slated for Tuesday in the brothers’ trial in federal court in Manhattan, after they were delayed a day because of heavy snowfall over the weekend in New York.

    Oren and Tal Alexander, the real estate dealers who specialized in high-end properties in Miami, New York and Los Angeles, have pleaded not guilty, along with their brother Alon, who graduated from New York Law School before taking his position with the security firm.

    All three have been held without bail since their December 2024 arrests. They were indicted months after several women filed lawsuits alleging sexual misconduct.

    A spokesperson for the Alexander Brothers said they “categorically deny that anyone was drugged, assaulted, or coerced, and the government has presented no physical evidence, medical records, contemporaneous complaints, or objective proof to establish those claims.”

    “This case highlights a broader concern about how the federal sex-trafficking statute is being applied,” said the spokesperson, Juda Engelmayer. “Congress enacted that law to address force, coercion, and exploitation; not to retroactively criminalize consensual adult relationships through inference or narrative.”

    “As the defense has consistently said, allegations are not evidence,” Engelmayer added.

    The brothers’ attorneys have promised to show the jury of six men and six women that prosecutors have taken innocent romantic and sexual encounters and converted them into criminal activity through clever lawyering.

    Oren Alexander’s attorney, Marc Agnifilo, has said the defense plans to prove that witnesses have lied to the government and that their testimony can’t be trusted.

    Judge Valerie E. Caproni, who will preside over the trial, has rejected defense requests to toss out the charges or send the case to state court. The Alexanders’ lawyers have said the allegations against them resemble “date rape” crimes more commonly prosecuted in state courts, but Caproni disagreed.

    “That badly misrepresents the nature of the charges,” the judge wrote.

    Agnifilo has said the jury will hear evidence of group sex, threesomes and promiscuity. During jury selection last week, prospective jurors were asked questions related to sexual activity and sex crimes.

    “The case is about sex and sexuality,” said Agnifilo, who represented Sean “Diddy” Combs last year as the hip-hop mogul was acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy charges but convicted on lesser prostitution-related counts.

    In court papers, the Alexander Brothers’ lawyers wrote that among the accusers they expect to testify at trial, they had located evidence “that undermines nearly every aspect of the alleged victims’ narratives.”

    Prosecutors have said their evidence will show that the brothers “have acted with apparent impunity — forcibly raping women whenever they wanted to do so.”

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  • Judge rules against lawmakers pressing for monitor to ensure release of Epstein files

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    NEW YORK — A judge overseeing Ghislaine Maxwell’s criminal case said Wednesday that two members of Congress lacked the legal right to intervene and press their demand for a court-appointed observer to ensure the government complies with a new law ordering release of its files on Jeffrey Epstein.

    But the lawmakers are free to bring a civil lawsuit or work through the tools they have in Congress to improve oversight, U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer ruled.

    U.S. Reps. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and Thomas Massie, R-Ky., had co-sponsored the Epstein Files Transparency Act that was signed into law by President Donald Trump in November. It required the public disclosure of files related to the sex trafficking investigations into Epstein, the late financier, and Maxwell, his longtime confidant.

    Engelmayer largely agreed with the Justice Department’s insistence that he had no authority to grant the congressmen’s request to speed the release of that material. They had urged Engelmayer to name an independent monitor to ensure that the government immediately released the more than 2 million documents it has identified as investigative materials. Khanna and Massie said the slow disclosure of the documents violated the law and had caused “serious trauma to survivors.”

    A month after the deadline had passed for the materials to be made public, only about 12,000 documents have been made public. The department has said the release of the files was delayed by redactions required to protect the identities of those who were abused.

    Engelmayer said the questions raised by Khanna and Massie raised about whether the department was complying with the law were “undeniably important and timely.” But, he said, the way in which the members of Congress were trying to intervene was not permitted.

    The judge, who inherited Maxwell’s case after the trial judge was appointed to an appeals court, ruled that has no authority to supervise the department’s compliance with the new law, and that Massie and Khanna have no standing, or legal right, to insinuate themselves into Maxwell’s case.

    Engelmayer said he has received letters and emails from Epstein abuse survivors in support of the lawmakers’ request for appointment of a neutral overseer.

    “These express concern that DOJ otherwise will not comply with the Act,” wrote the judge, who was nominated by Democratic President Barack Obama.

    The department has been “paying ‘lip service’ to the victims” and “failing to treat us ‘with the solicitude’ we deserve,” survivors wrote, according to Engelmayer.

    Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison sentence after her December 2021 sex trafficking conviction. She recently petitioned the federal court for her release, maintaining that new information has emerged that warrants her release. A jury found that she had helped to recruit girls for Epstein to abuse over the past quarter-century and had also participated in some of the abuse.

    Epstein died in a federal jail in New York in August 2019 as he awaited trial on sex trafficking charges. The death was ruled a suicide.

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  • YouTube relaxes monetization policy on videos with controversial content

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    YouTube is updating its guidelines for videos containing what advertisers define as controversial content, like abortion and self-harm, allowing more creators to earn full ad revenue when they tackle sensitive issues in a nongraphic way

    YouTube is updating its guidelines for videos containing content that advertisers define as controversial, allowing more creators to earn full ad revenue when they tackle sensitive issues in a nongraphic way.

    With the update that went into effect Tuesday, YouTube videos that dramatize or cover issues including domestic abuse, self-harm, suicide, adult sexual abuse, abortion and sexual harassment without graphic descriptions or imagery are now eligible for full monetization.

    Ads will remain restricted on videos that include content on child abuse, child sex trafficking and eating disorders.

    The changes were outlined in a video posted to the Creator Insider YouTube channel on Tuesday, and the advertiser-friendly content guidelines were also updated with specific definitions and examples.

    “We want to ensure the creators who are telling sensitive stories or producing dramatized content have the opportunity to earn ad revenue while respecting advertiser choice and industry sentiment,” said Conor Kavanagh, YouTube’s head of monetization policy experience, in the video announcing the changes. “We took a closer look and found our guidelines in this area had become too restrictive and ended up demonetizing uploads like dramatized content.”

    The update also makes personal accounts of these sensitive issues, as well as preventative content and journalistic coverage on these subjects, eligible for full monetization.

    The Google-owned company said the degree of graphic or descriptive detail in videos wasn’t previously considered when determining advertiser friendliness.

    Some creators would attempt to bypass these policies on YouTube and other platforms by using workaround language or substituting symbols and numbers for letters in written text — the most prevalent example across social platforms has been the use of the term “unalive.”

    YouTube has updated its policies in response to creator feedback before. In July, the company eased its monetization policy regarding profanity, making videos that use strong profanity in the first seven seconds eligible for full ad revenue.

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  • January is Human Trafficking Prevention Month. What to know

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    January is Human Trafficking Prevention Month. What to know

    PREVENTION MONTH. HUMAN TRAFFICKING MEANS EXPLOITING A PERSON FOR LABOR SERVICES OR SEX. IT’S CONSIDERED TO BE ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING ILLEGAL INDUSTRIES, WITH MORE THAN 27 MILLION ESTIMATED VICTIMS. JOINING US THIS MORNING IS RAFAEL INFANTINO WITH THE COMMUNITY AGAINST SEXUAL HARM. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, MIKE. 27 MILLION. THAT’S A STAGGERING NUMBER, ISN’T IT? IT IS LARGE AND I THINK IT’S UNCONCEIVABLE FOR SOME FOLKS THAT HAVEN’T EXPERIENCED SOMETHING OF THIS MAGNITUDE, WHICH OF COURSE WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR. SO I THINK THE IMPORTANT PART IS, IS UNDERSTANDING WHAT’S GOING ON IN SACRAMENTO. YOU KNOW, THERE ARE THERE ARE SOME WAYS THAT PERPETRATORS ARE TARGETING FOLKS, AND THAT’S VULNERABILITIES. AND MOST OF THE TIME THAT IS SIMPLE AS YOUR BASIC NEEDS NOT BEING MET. YOU KNOW, IF YOU DON’T HAVE A HOME TO GO TO, IF YOU DON’T HAVE FOOD TO EAT, IF YOU DON’T HAVE A JOB, IF YOU DON’T HAVE A SUPPORT SYSTEM. AND HONESTLY, IF YOU LOOK AROUND, WE’RE ALL A LITTLE VULNERABLE. SURE. YEAH. SO DEPENDING ON, YOU KNOW, HOW THAT’S PRESENTING, IT’S DEFINITELY TARGETED BY THOSE. AND AND IT’S ONE THING TO IF YOU’RE THE PERSON WHO IS VICTIMIZED BY THIS, BUT AS YOU JUST TOUCHED ON, IT’S HAPPENING ALL AROUND US. SO WHAT ARE SOME OF THE SIGNS THAT WE CAN LOOK OUT FOR TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT SOMEBODY ELSE MIGHT BE TARGETED OR IN TROUBLE? ABSOLUTELY. SURE. SO QUICK CHANGE IN ANY BEHAVIOR. IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE, RIGHT? IF THEY’RE CONSTANTLY ON THEIR PHONE OR HAVE TO LEAVE THE ROOM SPECIFICALLY TO ANSWER THEIR TELEPHONE IF THINGS ARE COMING UP, WHETHER IT’S THINGS YOU COULD PURCHASE WITH MONEY, LET’S SAY SOMEONE GETS THEIR NAILS DONE OR SOMEONE GETS A NEW GAME SYSTEM, ANYTHING THAT YOU KNOW THEY WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO ACQUIRE ON THEIR OWN, ESPECIALLY FOR MINORS. I THINK THAT’S A BIG SIGN IS, YOU KNOW, YOU AS A PARENT, IF YOU’RE SEEING THOSE CHANGES OR LACK OF INTEREST ANYMORE IN THE NORMAL THINGS THAT A PERSON WOULD WANT TO DO, WHETHER IT’S SPORTS, ACADEMICS OR EVEN CONVERSATION, THOSE CAN BE SOME SIGNS I GOT TO IMAGINE YOU JUST TOUCHED ON THE IDEA THAT A LOT OF THE MAYBE THE LARGEST CROWD WHO IS AFFECTED BY THIS ARE MINORS, BUT ARE THERE OTHER FOLKS, OTHER AGE GROUPS THAT MAYBE YOU MIGHT EVEN BE SURPRISED? THAT COULD BE VICTIMS? OF COURSE, IT DOESN’T DISCRIMINATE. ANYBODY CAN BE VICTIMIZED, YOU KNOW, AND IT CAN BE UNHEALED TRAUMA. I KNOW THAT THAT’S A DEEP ROOTED ONE IS COMPLEX TRAUMA BECAUSE THAT CAN BE TARGETED. YOU KNOW, IF SOMEONE ISN’T FEELING WELL ABOUT THEMSELVES, A KIND, YOU KNOW, GUIDED COMPLIMENT IS WHAT IT MIGHT BE PERCEIVED AS FOR SOMEONE WHO ISN’T AWARE OF THOSE COERCIVE SIGNS OR SOMEONE SEEING THAT MAYBE THEY DON’T FEEL THAT GREAT ABOUT THEMSELVES AND AND THEY’RE RIGHT THERE TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY LOOK GOOD. YEAH. AND FOLKS MAY NOT BE AWARE OF THE RESOURCES OUT THERE. SO WHAT DOES CASH OFFER. ABSOLUTELY. SO CASH IS A DROP IN CENTER LOCATED IN THE HEART OF OAK PARK. WE ARE OPEN MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY FROM 1230 TO 430. FOR ANYONE WHO IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE THAT HAS EXPERIENCED SOME FORM OF COMMERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOITATION IN THEIR LIFE. AND WITH THAT, IT’S A LOW BARRIER. WE HAVE FOOD THERE, WE HAVE CLOTHING CLOSET AND OUR NEWEST ADDITION, WHICH I LOVE, IS THE CLINIC. EVERYONE NEEDS MEDICAL CARE, BUT NOT EVERYBODY HAS IDENTIFICATION, YOU KNOW, OR MEDICAL COVERAGE. AND WE COVER THAT FOR THEM. YEAH. YOU SEE THAT INFORMATION RIGHT THERE ON YOUR SCREEN? WE’LL GET YOU OUT OF HERE ON THIS. THERE’S A COMMUNITY CONVERSATION HAPPENING TONIGHT. YES. PLEASE COME AND JOIN US AT CITY OF REFUGE, LOCATED AT 3216 MARTIN LUTHER. MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR. EXCUSE ME. WE WILL BE HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH SOME ADVOCATES, INCLUDING MYSELF, STARTING AT 6 P.M. TONIGHT. PLEASE REACH OUT FOR MORE INFORMATION. AGAIN, 6 P.M

    January is Human Trafficking Prevention Month. What to know

    Updated: 4:08 PM PST Jan 12, 2026

    Editorial Standards

    January is Human Trafficking Prevention Month.Human trafficking is considered one of the fastest-growing illegal industries, with an estimated 27 million victims or survivors.Raphaella Fontenot, with Sacramento-based organization Community Against Sexual Harm, joined KCRA 3 on Monday morning to talk about the signs of trafficking and what resources CASH has to offer for those seeking help.Fontenot said that perpetrators target those who are vulnerable because their basic needs aren’t being met. “If you don’t have a home to go to, if you don’t have food to eat, if you don’t have a job, if you don’t have a support system. And honestly if you look around, we’re all a little vulnerable,” she said. Some of the signs to look out for are changes in behavior or when someone has to leave the room to answer their telephone, she said. There is also an event happening from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Monday at the City of Refuge on 3216 MLK Jr. Blvd. It’s open to everyone, and refreshments will be provided.In 2024, KCRA 3 Investigates spent a year talking to Sacramento survivors, advocates, lawmakers and law enforcement about the problems they’re seeing on the streets with sex trafficking and what they think needs to change.See full coverage of our “Escaping the Blade” documentary here. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

    January is Human Trafficking Prevention Month.

    Human trafficking is considered one of the fastest-growing illegal industries, with an estimated 27 million victims or survivors.

    Raphaella Fontenot, with Sacramento-based organization Community Against Sexual Harm, joined KCRA 3 on Monday morning to talk about the signs of trafficking and what resources CASH has to offer for those seeking help.

    Fontenot said that perpetrators target those who are vulnerable because their basic needs aren’t being met.

    “If you don’t have a home to go to, if you don’t have food to eat, if you don’t have a job, if you don’t have a support system. And honestly if you look around, we’re all a little vulnerable,” she said.

    Some of the signs to look out for are changes in behavior or when someone has to leave the room to answer their telephone, she said.

    There is also an event happening from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Monday at the City of Refuge on 3216 MLK Jr. Blvd. It’s open to everyone, and refreshments will be provided.

    In 2024, KCRA 3 Investigates spent a year talking to Sacramento survivors, advocates, lawmakers and law enforcement about the problems they’re seeing on the streets with sex trafficking and what they think needs to change.

    See full coverage of our “Escaping the Blade” documentary here.

    See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

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  • While out on bail in kidnapping case, Oakland man charged with child trafficking

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    OAKLAND — A man who was arrested on kidnapping charges just seven months ago has been charged again, this time with human trafficking, after two girls were allegedly found in his hotel room, court records show.

    Brandon Johnson, 37, was charged last week with human trafficking of a minor, soliciting a child to prostitute and pandering, court records show. At the time of his arrest on Dec. 19, he was out on bail for pending charges of kidnapping a suspected adult sex worker in front of an undercover cop, court records show.

    Police say a relative of a 14-year-old girl called police and told them the girl was with Johnson at the Bay Breeze Inn in Oakland. Police went there and found not only the girl, but a 15-year-old girl, as well as a replica gun in Johnson’s hotel room, according to court records.

    Authorities allege that Johnson met one of the girl’s when she was at a youth crisis center in San Francisco and had been with her for several weeks. He reportedly gave the girls $500 daily quotas, instructing them to be sexually abused by adult strangers for as long as it took to make that amount, according to court records.

    Johnson was arrested and charged back in May after an undercover officer allegedly saw him throwing a woman in a bikini into his vehicle and driving off, as she screamed for help. He posted $100,000 bail and was released from jail, records show. Johnson’s lawyer refuted the charges by arguing that the woman police identified as the victim denied it, and said she witnessed a different person throwing a different woman in his car.

    Now Johnson is back behind bars at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin, with bail set at $670,000, records show. He has pleaded not guilty and is due in court next on Jan. 12.

    Johnson’s arrest was one of two near-identical incidents that occurred in Oakland that week. On Dec. 15, Oakland police rescued two runaway teen girls, aged 14 and 15, and arrested their alleged trafficker, Terrell Williams, who was later charged with rape, statutory rape and crimes related to alleged sex trafficking, court records show.

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  • Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs seeks immediate release from prison in appeals argument

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    NEW YORK — Lawyers for hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs urged a federal appeals court in New York late Tuesday to order his immediate release from prison and reverse his conviction on prostitution-related charges or direct his trial judge to lighten his four-year sentence.

    The lawyers said in a filing with the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan that Combs was treated harshly at sentencing by a federal judge who let evidence surrounding charges he was acquitted of unjustly influence the punishment.

    Combs, 56, incarcerated at a federal prison in New Jersey and scheduled for release in May 2028, was acquitted of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking at a trial that ended in July. Combs was convicted under the Mann Act, which bans transporting people across state lines for any sexual crime.

    Lawyers for Combs said Judge Arun Subramanian acted like a “thirteenth juror” in October when he sentenced Combs to four years and two months in prison. They said he erred by letting evidence surrounding the acquitted charges influence the sentence he imposed.

    They noted that Combs was convicted of two lesser counts, prostitution offenses that didn’t require force, fraud, or coercion. They asked the appeals court, which has not yet heard oral arguments, to acquit Combs, order his immediate release from prison or direct Subramanian to reduce his sentence.

    “Defendants typically get sentenced to less than 15 months for these offenses — even when coercion, which the jury didn’t find here, is involved,” the lawyers wrote.

    “The judge defied the jury’s verdict and found Combs ‘coerced,’ ‘exploited,’ and ‘forced’ his girlfriends to have sex and led a criminal conspiracy. These judicial findings trumped the verdict and led to the highest sentence ever imposed for any remotely similar defendant,” the lawyers wrote.

    At sentencing, Subramanian said that when calculating the prison term, he considered Combs’ treatment of two former girlfriends who testified that the Bad Boy Records founder beat them and coerced them into having sex with male sex workers while he watched and filmed the encounters, sometimes masturbating.

    At the trial, former girlfriend Casandra “Cassie” Ventura testified that Combs ordered her to have “disgusting” sex with strangers hundreds of times during their decade-long relationship that ended in 2018. Jurors saw video of him dragging and beating her in a Los Angeles hotel hallway after one such multiday “freak-off.”

    The second former girlfriend, who testified under the pseudonym “ Jane,” said she was pressured into sex with male workers during what Combs called “hotel nights,” drug-fueled sexual encounters from 2021 to 2024 that also could last days.

    At sentencing, Subramanian said he “rejects the defense’s attempt to characterize what happened here as merely intimate, consensual experiences, or just a sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll story.”

    He added: “You abused the power and control that you had over the lives of women you professed to love dearly. You abused them physically, emotionally, and psychologically. And you used that abuse to get your way, especially when it came to freak-offs and hotel nights.”

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  • Human Trafficking Victims Caught in Thailand-Cambodia Conflict

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    Posted on: December 20, 2025, 09:49h. 

    Last updated on: December 20, 2025, 09:49h.

    • The Thailand-Cambodia conflict reportedly has innocent civilians in its crossfire
    • Thailand is targeting suspected scam centers where trafficked persons work

    Thousands of people suspected to be human trafficking victims who have been forced to work in slave-like conditions in Cambodia along the Thailand border have been caught in the crossfire of the ongoing conflict.

    human trafficking Cambodia Thailand conflict
    A casino in Cambodia near the Thailand border, suspected to be a scam center, is bombed by Thai F-16 fighter jets. Human trafficking victims are said to be in the conflict’s crossfire. (Image: Royal Thai Military)

    Thailand has targeted border casinos in Cambodia that the Thai army claims have been retrofitted to serve as arsenals and firing positions for the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces. Thailand has bombed or struck at least four casinos in Cambodia just across the border.

    The territorial dispute, which has endured for more than a century, escalated into armed conflict earlier this year after Thai soldiers in February prevented Cambodian tourists from singing their national anthem at the Prasat Ta Muen Thom, an ancient temple along the border. The incident resulted in the death of a Cambodian soldier.

    A leaked phone call between Paetongtarn Shinawatra, then the prime minister of Thailand, and Hun Sen, the most powerful person in Cambodia, recorded the prime minister blaming her own army for the February incident. The informal conversation that was made public led to Shinawatra’s impeachment and intensified tensions between the two sides.

    Casino Scam Centers

    While there are many casinos on the Cambodia side of the Thai-Cambodia border, the United Nations says the casinos have also served as scam centers where an estimated 100,000 victims of human trafficking have been forced to perpetrate online scams in what’s believed to be a multibillion-dollar industry.  

    Amnesty International, an international human rights organization based in London, says the Cambodian government has allowed slavery and torture to “flourish inside hellish scamming compounds.” The organization has managed to visit 52 scamming compounds in Cambodia, with many of the buildings previously serving as casinos and hotels that were repurposed by criminal gangs from China.

    Most victims had been lured to Cambodia by deceptive job advertisements posted on social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram. After being trafficked, survivors said they were forced to contact people using social media platforms and begin conversations aimed at defrauding them. These included fake romances or investment opportunities, selling products that would never be delivered, or building trust with victims before financially exploiting them, known as ‘pig-butchering,’” Amnesty reports.

    “Our findings reveal a pattern of state failures that have allowed criminality to flourish and raise questions about the government’s motivations,” said Amnesty International’s Regional Research Director Montse Ferrer.

    UN Advisory

    The United Nations confirmed this week that civilians and human trafficking victims in Cambodia remain at risk, and some have likely been killed in the Thailand-Cambodia conflict.

    Casino complexes and suspected scam centers in Cambodia have reportedly been hit,” the UN advised.

    “I am alarmed by reports that areas around villages and cultural sites are being struck by fighter jets, drones, and artillery. “Under international humanitarian law, it is very clear that protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure is paramount,” added Volker Türk, the UN’s high commissioner for human rights.  

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    Devin O’Connor

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  • Prison officials tell judge ex-Abercrombie & Fitch CEO is competent to stand trial

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    NEW YORK — Federal prison officials say the former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch is fit to stand trial on federal sex trafficking charges after he was hospitalized with Alzheimer’s disease, Lewy body dementia and a traumatic brain injury.

    Michael Jeffries had been ordered to be hospitalized in May. But in a letter filed in federal court in New York on Wednesday, Blake Lott, the acting warden at the Federal Medical Center in Butner, North Carolina said the 81-year-old is “now competent to stand trial.”

    Lott didn’t provide further details in the letter but said the center has provided a report to the judge handling the case. Jeffries had been discharged from FMC-Butner on Nov. 21, according to previous filings in the case.

    Brian Bieber, an attorney for Jeffries, responded that other doctors had previously found his client incompetent to proceed.

    “A doctor from the Bureau of Prisons is of a different opinion,” he said in an email Wednesday. “We look forward to the Judge hearing the medical evidence, and deciding on the appropriate course of action moving forward.”

    The letter comes as prosecutors and Jeffries’ lawyers are expected to confer by phone Thursday with U.S. District Court Judge Nusrat Choudhury on the status of the case.

    Jeffries pleaded not guilty last year to federal charges of sex trafficking and interstate prostitution.

    His lawyers had argued that the former executive required around-the-clock care and was unable to understand the nature and consequences of the case against him or to assist properly in his defense.

    They had said at least four medical professionals concluded that Jeffries’ cognitive issues were “progressive and incurable” and that he would not “regain his competency and cannot be restored to competency in the future.”

    Jeffries’ lawyers and prosecutors had requested that he be hospitalized in federal Bureau of Prisons custody so he could receive treatment that might allow his criminal case to proceed.

    Choudhury agreed, ordering him placed in a hospital for up to four months. Before then, Jeffries had been free on a $10 million bond.

    Prosecutors say Jeffries, his romantic partner and a third man used the promise of modeling jobs to lure men to drug-fueled sex parties in New York City, the Hamptons and other locations. The charges echoed sexual misconduct accusations made in a civil case and the media in recent years.

    Jeffries left Abercrombie in 2014 after more than two decades at the helm. His partner, Matthew Smith, has also pleaded not guilty and remains out on bond, as has their co-defendant, James Jacobson.

    ___

    Follow Philip Marcelo at https://x.com/philmarcelo

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  • Trump Declares That Airspace Around Venezuela Should Be Considered Closed

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    President Trump on Saturday said that the airspace surrounding Venezuela should be considered closed, ratcheting up tensions with the Maduro regime and offering yet another sign that he is considering striking targets on land. 

    “To all Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers, please consider THE AIRSPACE ABOVE AND SURROUNDING VENEZUELA TO BE CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY,” Trump posted on Saturday morning. 

    Copyright ©2025 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8

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    Shelby Holliday

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  • Exclusive | Iranian Funds for Hezbollah Are Flowing Through Dubai

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    Iran has sent the Lebanese militia Hezbollah hundreds of millions of dollars over the past year via money exchanges and other businesses in Dubai, as Tehran seeks new ways to funnel money to its ally, people familiar with the matter said.

    Hezbollah, a U.S.-designated terrorist group, is in desperate need of funds to rebuild and rearm its militia and pay other costs stemming from its bruising fight with Israel last year, the people said. Its smuggling routes through Syria were disrupted by the fall of the Iran-aligned Assad regime a year ago, and Lebanese authorities have made strides cracking down on couriers bringing suitcases of cash through the Beirut airport.

    Copyright ©2025 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8

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    Dov Lieber

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  • Miami-Dade crackdown on human trafficking leads to eight arrests, victim rescued

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    askowronski@miamiherald.com

    A woman beaten and trafficked across nine U.S. cities and an undercover sting operation that took down a “pimp” and several prostitutes was at the core of a slew of human trafficking-related arrests announced Tuesday afternoon by Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle.

    “We are organized, and we are ready to pounce on anybody that is going to exploit our vulnerable folks,” Rundle said during a press conference. “We talk about human trafficking, what we call modern day slavery, and that it is a scourge on our and many other communities throughout the country.”

    Saturday’s arrests Darrell Robertson’s and Eu’shunn Thomas were the first discussed. Around midnight Saturday, a woman frantically called 911 from Parkway Inn, a Miami Springs hotel, according to an arrest report and Rundle.

    The list of charges for Darrell Robertson and Eu'Shunn Thomas shown during a press conference discussing charges in a human trafficking case on Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025, at Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office in Miami, Fla.
    The list of charges for Darrell Robertson and Eu’Shunn Thomas shown during a press conference discussing charges in a human trafficking case on Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025, at Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office in Miami, Fla. Alie Skowronski askowronski@miamiherald.com

    A Miami Springs police officer quickly went to her and picked up on signs that she’d been a victim of human trafficking, owing in part his training with the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office Human Trafficking Task Force.

    With her 2-year-old daughter lying on the motel bed, the unidentified 20-year-old woman told the officer she was beaten by her “pimp,” Robertson, and moved around eight other U.S. cities, including New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C., with the aid of Thomas who worked in tandem handling finances and overseeing his prostitutes, authorities said.

    The officer called the human trafficking task force, and an investigation quickly began. She was taken to a Human Trafficking Center, which the state attorney’s office operates and offers a safe place for victims to eat, shower and decompress from their experiences.

    Authorities learned she and Robertson are from Texas, Thomas from Louisiana, and Miami was the latest place she was forced to prostitute after eight months of being moved around the country on “paid sex dates”. On this trip, the 20-year-old arrived to Miami about a week ago with 2-year-old daughter.

    The little girl was watched by Robertson while her mother went through her clients. He set a $1,000 a night quota, which would mean an average of 8 to 10 male clients she had to have sex with. Some of the meets would be in cars and short-term motel rentals, and Robertson or Thomas would always be in the area watching her.

    Jose Figueredo, Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge, left, and Emiliano Tamayo, Chief of Investigations, look at a map depicting where in the country the victim was trafficked during a press conference discussing charges in a human trafficking case on Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025, at Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office in Miami, Fla.
    Jose Figueredo, Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge, left, and Emiliano Tamayo, Chief of Investigations, look at a map depicting where in the country the victim was trafficked during a press conference discussing charges in a human trafficking case on Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025, at Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office in Miami, Fla. Alie Skowronski askowronski@miamiherald.com

    Robertson would often beat the woman when she said she didn’t want to prostitute anymore, forcing her to continue, which happened again on Saturday. The 20-year-old was also drugged with Adderall to keep her awake during these sexual encounters.

    “This occurred throughout their entire relationship, especially when she would plead and object to continuing to go out on these dates,” Rundle said.

    Robertson and Thomas were arrested and still remain in the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center Tuesday night, according to jail records. Thomas is charged with human trafficking, while Robertson is charged with human trafficking, transporting a person from out of state into the state for human trafficking, branding in relation to human trafficking, deriving support from proceeds of prostitution, and battery.

    “Here in Miami Springs, we have 22 hotels and a lot of our calls for service are at these hotels,” said Miami Springs Police Chief Matthew Castillo, noting his officers are trained to look for details that could potentially lead to a human trafficking case.

    “These people are really evil. They’re trafficking people. They’re treating them less than animals. They’re branding them,” he said. “Whenever you have a tip, please reach out to the Human Trafficking Task Force and we will investigate it.”

    Operation Sanctuary Shield

    The City of Coral Gables was a pseudo-testing ground Thursday for a new type of undercover operation aimed at rescuing victims of human trafficking while also combating the issue. Several law enforcement agencies partnered to arrest six people involved in prostitution.

    “You can’t always say, ‘We’re just going to go after the pimps, the demands, ‘Johns’ and prostitution,’” Rundle said. “It has to be the whole facet of all of that creates this multi-billion dollar industry where they exploit our victims.”

    Authorities identified two websites, one of which is still active online, that is used for escort services and are “well known as fronts for prostitution and victims of human trafficking,” an arrest report read.

    Five woman — Yoaris Delgado, Karen Guerra Ramos, Leyerlyn Perales Lombano, Odette Adul Martinez and Franyelin Toledo — were reached out to and agreed to meet with an undercover officer. Once they arrived at an undisclosed hotel and exchanged cash for sex or a “full body massage,” officers swarmed their rooms and arrested them.

    One man, Jean Frank Canizales, brought one of the woman to the hotel and waited outside the room during the money exchange. Their arrest reports also allege they left a child unaccompanied, but it is unclear if the minor was in the area of the hotel or somewhere else.

    Four of the women were charged with engaging in prostitution, one of whom was additionally charged with child neglect with no great bodily harm. The fifth woman was charged with practicing without a massage license. Canizales was charged with direct another person to a place for prostitution, derive support from proceeds of prostitution and child neglect with no great bodily harm.

    “Traffickers, be aware…We will catch the people that are profiting the most from the souls of these people that they are exploiting,” said Coral Gables Police Chief Ed Hudack.

    Authorities urge anyone who is or knows someone being trafficked, to text or call 305-349-7867, a human trafficking hotline open 24 hours 7 days a week.

    Devoun Cetoute

    Miami Herald

    Miami Herald Cops and Breaking News Reporter Devoun Cetoute covers a plethora of Florida topics, from breaking news to crime patterns. He was on the breaking news team that won a Pulitzer Prize in 2022. He’s a graduate of the University of Florida, born and raised in Miami-Dade. Theme parks, movies and cars are on his mind in and out of the office.

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    Devoun Cetoute

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  • Airbnb Nightmare: Human Trafficking Ring Exposed in Atlanta

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    Haunting footage shows bags, bodies, and frantic movement through short-term rentals; a glimpse inside a shocking human trafficking network

    A growing online investigation has cast a glaring light on an alleged human-trafficking scheme in metro Atlanta, where a violent gang allegedly used multiple Airbnbs to hide victims and evade law enforcement, according to local news station WSB‑TV in September. In surveillance footage released by WSB-TV, Airbnb properties appear to buzz with suspicious activity; people hustling in and out, bags being hauled between rooms, and groups mysteriously shuffling from one house to another overnight. Allegedly, the scenes looked less like weekend getaways and more like trafficking operations-a glaring red flag that ultimately helped expose the network. More videos, like the one below, are going viral, accusing short-term rentals of being used for human and sex trafficking purposes.

    According to the report, authorities discovered the network moved individuals (some of whom were forced or coerced) among a series of short-term rental properties throughout Gwinnett and surrounding counties. The tactic allowed traffickers to stay under the radar as they transported victims in and out of the homes. The gang reportedly targeted local listings that lacked active oversight, using open-to-the-public platforms to provide a rotating location for victims. The story has now surged online, with social-media posts and local forums amplifying previously unreported details about the ring’s operations. A post shared by WSB-TV on X (formerly Twitter) helped the piece gain broader attention. 

    While state authorities had earlier secured convictions of gang leaders in related cases, such as the May 2025 conviction of two LOTTO gang figures for trafficking and racketeering in Gwinnett County, this Airbnb-centric network appears to mark a more “tech-savvy” evolution of the problem. “The LOTTO gang preyed on our most vulnerable Georgians, and we won’t rest until the entire network is behind bars. With seven convicted in this case so far, our work doesn’t stop here. We’re going after everyone involved in the trafficking of these five victims, and we will ensure they’re held accountable,” said Attorney General Chris Carr.

    Advocates point out that the case represents a large concern that short-term rentals could provide a cover for exploitation, including trafficking, forced labor and sexual servitude. “These short-term rentals are a key place for those who want to exploit the vulnerable,” said Camila Zolfaghari of the anti-trafficking nonprofit “Street Grace.”

    Now that the story is going viral, authorities are under pressure to review legislation, possible platform (Airbnb) oversight issues and homeowner responsibility for short-term rental listings. As the law enforcement and internet sleuths dig deeper into how the gang operated, more questions are likely to emerge about how rental platforms are monitored and how vulnerable individuals can be better protected from covert operations embedded in seemingly innocuous homes.

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    Lauren Conlin

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  • Moroccan court sentences man accused of trafficking people to scam compound in Asia

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    CASABLANCA, Morocco (AP) — A Moroccan court on Tuesday sentenced a man to five years in prison and $107,300 in fines for human trafficking, in the country’s first ruling against someone accused of luring people to work in a scam compound in Asia.

    The case involved several young Moroccans who said they were attracted by an online job offer promising good pay in Thailand. Instead, they found themselves trafficked to Myanmar and forced to work more than 9,300 miles (14,966 kilometers) from home, facilitating online fraud and scams.

    The defendant, Nabil Moafik, denied the charges and called human trafficking a “crime against humanity” he would never commit.

    The United Nations says some 120,000 people are trapped in so-called scam centers, and prosecutions have been launched around the world to combat trafficking. Several are making their way through Moroccan courts.

    In Casablanca, victims present in court told The Associated Press they witnessed torture and other degrading treatment in the Myanmar centers. Some said they secured their release after paying ransoms in cryptocurrency, according to court documents provided by attorneys.

    Prosecutors said Moafik ran a Facebook group helping Moroccan immigrants navigate life in Turkey. There, he posted an ad for call-center work in Thailand. One person, Youssef Amzouz, responded. He was put in touch with another Moroccan who handled recruitment, interviewed and sent money to purchase a plane ticket to Malaysia.

    A police report read out in court said Moafik introduced Amzouz to another Moroccan who later demanded that he either pay a ransom or recruit 100 others to secure his freedom.

    Moafik told the judge that Amzouz called him after leaving the scam compound, saying he was receiving treatment in a hospital for injuries sustained from torture.

    “I was just a job mediator. I was getting between $21 to $107 for each person I recruited,” Moafik said. “I did not know that all of this would happen.”

    The International Organization for Migration, a U.N. body, has said middlemen can be unaware they’re participating in trafficking, making prosecuting such cross-border crimes difficult.

    The state prosecutor argued that Moafik’s aim was to profit from trading in goods, calling him “an essential element in the crime of human trafficking.”

    Local news outlet Hespress reported earlier this year that Morocco’s Foreign Ministry secured the release of 34 citizens trafficked to online scam centers in Myanmar. The ministry did not respond to AP’s emailed questions about the total number of Moroccans affected.

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  • Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs seeks speedy appeals court hearing while he serves a 4-year sentence

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    NEW YORK — Hip-hop producer Sean “Diddy” Combs wants a federal appeals court to quickly consider the legality of his conviction on prostitution-related charges and his more than four-year prison sentence.

    His lawyers filed papers with the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday, asking that oral arguments in his appeal occur in April.

    The lawyers noted that Combs has already served 14 months of his 50-month sentence and that he may earn reductions in time behind bars because of his participation in a substance abuse treatment program and a program established by the First Step Act to improve an inmate’s return to society.

    Combs wants his appeal to be considered soon enough that he can benefit from a reduction of time spent in prison if the appeals court reverses his conviction, his lawyers said.

    Combs, 55, was convicted in July of flying his girlfriends and male sex workers around the country to engage in drug-fueled sexual encounters in multiple places over many years. However, he was acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering charges that could have put him behind bars for life.

    Apologetic at his sentencing for what he described as his “disgusting, shameful” behavior, the Bad Boy Records founder was sentenced to four years and two months in prison by a judge who praised the courage of the women who testified against him.

    Combs is scheduled to be released from prison on May 8, 2028, assuming he gets credit for good behavior behind bars. He has been incarcerated since his arrest in September 2024, when he was taken into custody at a Manhattan hotel.

    In a letter to the judge before he was sentenced, Combs said he has gone through a “spiritual reset” in jail and was “committed to the journey of remaining a drug free, non-violent and peaceful person.”

    His lawyers told the judge that Combs’ arrest and conviction have destroyed his businesses, forcing the layoffs of more than 100 employees who struggled to find new jobs because of their past association with the music mogul.

    He also still faces dozens of lawsuits filed against him since his arrest.

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  • Backpage.com Trafficking Victims Eligible For Federal Compensation – KXL

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    Portland, Ore. – A local district attorney’s office takes the unique step to notify human trafficking survivors they may be entitled to federal compensation.

    Federal investigators shut down Backpage.com in 2018. For 14 years, the elicit website facilitated commercial sex and human trafficking. JR Ujifusa supervises the human trafficking team at the Multnomah County DA’s office. “In order to advertise, or to sell someone on their website, you would have to pay. It started out as cash, and it moved to Bitcoin,” says Ujifusa, “When the FBI and the federal government shut down Backpage, they seized their assets.”

    That money is now available to survivors through the U.S. Department of Justice Backpage Remission Program. “I’m glad that their money is going back into the hands of those that they did that to, that they harmed,” says survivor-turned-advocate Robin Miller. 

    The Multnomah County DA’s office is sending letters and applications to people involved in previous cases. “Through searching our databases, we have identified over 1,200 individuals that we believe may have been exploited, may have been used on Backpage.com, either as minors or adults,” says Ujifusa.  Miller asks, How many of these envelopes are representative of children who were bought and sold on Backpage?” She adds, “I want to remind everybody why Backpage was shut down: They were selling children. And men were buying children, and women and vulnerable populations off the website for years.”

    The DOJ estimates more than $200 million are available for victims across the country. Survivors and their families have until February to apply for the money either online or through the mail. 

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    Heather Roberts

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  • Mayor announces another business shuttered and creation of Human Trafficking Task Force

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    METHUEN — The city has followed up a “declaration of war” against human trafficking with the investigation of another business and the creation of a task force.

    On Monday, city inspectors shut down Eastern Bodywork Therapy, which officials allege is a front for human trafficking. Mayor D.J. Beauregard, who had announced the crackdown on Sunday, said in a press release that the task force would hold both the perpetrators and landlords accountable.


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    By Teddy Tauscher | ttauscher@eagletribune.com

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  • BREAKING NEWS: Methuen mayor declares ‘war on human trafficking’ after spa owner’s arrest

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    METHUEN — The manager of Beauty Garden Spa on Wallace Street is facing human trafficking charges after a lengthy police investigation.

    Suping Zhu, 38, of Flushing, New York, is to be arraigned Monday in Lawrence District Court on charges that include deriving support from prostitution and trafficking person for sexual servitude.


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    By Teddy Tauscher | ttauscher@eagletribune.com

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