Emails and Responses on the Escort Business

If you have emailed me with questions or to make statements and I have not answered, there are numerous possible reasons. Sometimes people email with a flood of questions and statements and to respond is just not possible as it is all overwhelming. I do appreciate those that read Blueprint For an Escort Service and want to open an escort service, but I am also a firm believer that the escort business is not for everyone.

I am also in poor health and have other situations to deal with in my life. Usually the back and forth exchanges that go on and on are the problem. No matter how I answer questions, some people have only more questions. My BS meter shoots sky-high on this stuff and I simply do not have time for it.

The fact is that if you have read the book, researched as advised in the book, and read it a second time to take notes, you would know that your questions are answered in the book. You do not need me to tell you this fact.

The book is a guide to assist you with your own specific research relevant to your chosen area of operation and the type of escort or entertainment business that you want to own. The book is also informative as to many situations you will encounter and offers the benefit of my experience. There is never a one-size-fits-all as all escort services are not the same. I won't be able to operate your business for you.


A list of possible reasons that your email(s) did not receive a response:


1. You have made one or more statements in your email(s) that would be legally compromising to me if I responded without correcting you. Most likely, I do not have the time to correct you.

2. Your questions are answered in the book and you really need to reread it and take notes, if you're serious about this project. If you are not serious, then why are you bothering me?

3. You are making so many statements and asking so many questions that responding requires an essay or even multiple essays. You are over-thinking the entire situation. Opening and operating an escort business is not rocket science.

4. You give me so much praise and love that it is not believable. Not sure what made you think I fell off a turnip truck somewhere in Idaho. I did not - I can assure you of that fact.

5. Sounds like you want me to do all of your local research for you. Not happening - unless you'd like to pay me by the hour. My rates are on the Consultant Services page of my website.

6. You seem to want an ongoing chat in email. Sorry, but I do not have the time for this sort of thing in my life.

7. Your questions should be directed to an attorney. I am not an attorney and have no desire to be one.

8. Your email(s) sound like you are writing a book.

9. You sound like you work for the government.

10. You sound like you have no clue how to run any sort of business and expect others to do it all for you.

11. You inform me that you want to open an escort business, but you have no money. You want to know what you can do to make it work. Hell, I suffered for an entire year to save the money to get the business opened correctly - and I had a 9 to 5 job! If you want it, you'll get the money. And back then the only real form of advertisements were the Yellow Pages, which were not cheap.

There are other potential issues. I usually respond to emails; however, I can't even imagine why anyone would think I should answer their 20 questions when it is clear that they have not read the book. I do NOT repeat my books in emails.

So, if you are truly interested in making your project work, put your time and effort into it and do your necessary research. Cutting corners is not the answer. As stated in the book, the escort business is not for everyone, especially if this is not something you can handle.


Best in all of your entrepreneurial pursuits!

Entrepreneurship Today

This is for the entrepreneur on a serious budget and not intended for anyone starting a classic business requiring a brick and mortar location or major funding. This is about earning a decent living working for yourself with minor investment and leaving the wage slave workforce.

I often find that people fear leaving the safety of a paycheck job, though that weekly or biweekly check usually doesn't cover the basics, like rent, electric, cable/internet, auto insurance and repair, water bill etc... if you also plan to buy food and necessities. Many months one chooses what to pay by level of importance. No one should have to live like that.

Once you take the plunge and work for yourself for a while, you're almost unemployable. The self-employed rarely reenter the wage slave workforce. If you try to return to that lifestyle, you find yourself constantly questioning how others operate their businesses and considering how you could easily improve their methods or change something altogether. You're frequently questioning situations and in a short time, the employer realizes that you won't work out. You realize that you're a much better planner and leader than you are at following directions that make little sense.

With several jobs that I had following my court case, I found myself questioning why I was charged with racketeering in comparison to these so-called legitimate businesses. A couple of places I worked were prime candidates for racketeering prosecutions in Florida. You'd laugh if I told you where specifically.

The escort service business is one potential solution. You run it your way and there are no real line in the sand guidelines. If you want a day off, you simply take it. If you want more money, you cover the phones 24/7. Need a vacation? No problem - you either pay someone else that you trust to answer your lines or leave them unanswered. It's your choice - that is what being in business for yourself is supposed to be all about from my perspective.

Of course you have other options besides the escort business, but realistically, nothing else compares when you consider the money and the choices open to you. Trust me on that assessment - I've tried to find a substitute since my case concluded with my acquittal back in 2003. Sure, I've found other things to do that create small streams of income, but nothing that could touch the escort business in the areas of money or convenience. There are no options with the flexibility of opening and operating an escort business.

I feel like I'm singing the Sinead O'Connor song, Nothing Compares to You. ... but it's all so true.

I recently started a new sort of business - well at least it's new to me - and already find myself wondering if it'll ever show a profit. But worse yet, I'm feeling like I'm a slave to it. Will never come close to the profit from an escort service, could never really take a vacation from it, and fear its demise if I don't meet the expectations of many on an ongoing basis. I'm feeling it's a big mistake. *sigh*

May all of the entrepreneurial people reading this have the best year ever. Resolve to make the most of your life this year.


Happy 2014!

Yellow Page and Print Ads

A reader contacted me this week with a question about placing an ad in the print yellow pages in his area. Here is his question and my response and I will also expound on the topic.

The question:

It's [redacted] from [redacted]. If you remember I have an exotic dancer booking agency. I had a quick question. I'd like to get your opinion on yellow page advertisements. I know in your book you suggest it and say its still going good, I know things can change a lot in a few years. Do you still suggest advertising in the book as of 2013-2014 , I can currently get a one inch color ad for $600 for the year. I have only 5 days tonight for the deadline, everybody I talk to is very much so against it and I do a lot of research and it seems a majority of advertisers say they wasted their money last year on the phone book. Do you think that the adult entertainment sector has more people searching for it than other services?

I have only several days to the deadline, and your opinion will be considered more than anybody else's at this point. Thank you.

The response:

Unless your market is L.A. or NYC, I still recommend yellow page listings. Is there a bold-print one-line ad available for less? A bold print in red would be even better.

There is still a segment of the population that will look for entertainers / escorts in the yellow pages, especially the over 60 crowd. I used to have some elderly clients that called regularly that were never interested in tech and I know for sure there are still lots of people like this out there. Hell, I still look in the yellow pages if I want a carpet cleaner or mechanic or maid service as there are too many fly-by-night services online.

Do you also offer the costumed striptease service? Like a stripper-gram for a birthday, retirement party etc...? That sort of service alone is worthy of its own red bold print one-line ad. Today you won't make a $million off it, but your business should have a presence in print. If you gave it a line of its own, you'd see the results, but I'm sure you'll get your money back and make something from a bold print ad anyway.

I believe the yellow pages says stability, quality, safe, accountable... and then there are the issues with online advertising for adult business being under attack by State Attorneys General all over the country. Are the people you're asking in your age group? I don't know your age [redacted], but would guess late 20s or early 30s and this group will not look at yellow pages, so you're correct with that. But the bored 70 or 80 year-old with his retirement income will, especially if he has had a negative experience online in past. And I am 53 - still look in the yellow pages for most services.

What I forgot to say...

Sometimes I assume that readers of my Blueprint books see the Blueprint Updates links here and on my website, but that depends where and how they found the book to begin with. I do have a short update on print ads on the Advertising page of the updates and really it is consistent with my response here:

Blueprint Updates: Advertising

However, the updates have not been updated for over a year now. I still feel the same on the topic of a print yellow pages ad, but only recommend a bold print one-line listing, preferably in red. This type of listing doesn't cost that much.

Another point that I should have made to my reader is that many of the yellow pages advertisers in other markets that he checked with may not have a clue if a customer originally found them in the yellow pages or not. When I am looking for a service in the print book, which I usually do, I then search for that business online. I figure everyone has a website even if it is not included in their small print ad and if they do not have a website where I can find more information, I do not use their service anyway.

So while a website is a must today for any business anywhere, I still feel that a small ad in the yellow pages print book that's widely distributed in your target area is necessary. Consider that the potential customer will Google your business name and/or your telephone number to find more information.

Are You Awake Yet

Have you been operating your escort business in the sunshine as advised in the book? I sure hope so. The only reason that I still exist is because I never make any statement anywhere that I couldn't explain to a jury if I had to one day.

Someone - one of those many that wanted a consultation with me recently - stated that my case was irrelevant today. Actually it is more relevant than it has ever been. I suffered through many years of illegal surveillance and harassment by an agency that would do absolutely anything to get rid of me, yet I prevailed. So diss my Blueprint books if you like, but thanks to Edward Snowden and WikiLeaks, I am finally vindicated in all that I stated.

We live in a surveillance state. This applies even if you're in Canada or the UK or anywhere else in the world or that matter. The US spies on everyone, specially anyone that could potentially be engaged in what they consider criminal activity, which has been revealed to be everyone. National security never had anything to do with it.

I was reading a doc over on the Cryptome website a few days ago about the DEA Hemisphere program. It's a slideshow PDF and refers to any calls that go through AT&T switches. Do realize that this does not mean AT&T alone - as much of the world's telephone traffic passes through AT&T at one point or another. If your wireless phone from Sprint or Verizon is roaming, it may be on the AT&T network - you'd never know. Anyway, it's an interesting read:

DEA Hemisphere Telephone Call Database

In another country and think you're safe from the NSA and the many agencies it passes information to? Think again. These people tap the internet backbone and look at the many countries that cooperate with them:

NSA has Snoop Deals with Foreign ISPs

Think that this doesn't apply to you? There are so many documents to read that I won't even begin to compile a list - Cryptome and WikiLeaks Spy Files do though. You will find a treasure trove of documents on both - so get started with your reading!

From a Reuters News article dated 6 September 2013:

In a statement on Friday, the Office of the U.S. Director of National Intelligence, which said it was speaking on behalf of all U.S. spy agencies, did not confirm details of the media reports.

The statement did acknowledge that the U.S. intelligence community "would not be doing its job" if it did not try to counter the use of encryption by such adversaries as "terrorists, cybercriminals, human traffickers and others."

 Read the article: US spy agencies decry latest Snowden revelations

Special attention to the "and others" part of that statement because it means you and me. They have had a backdoor into any and all of your online communications for years, including your bank account info. Nothing that is done online is private, so think about everything that you do online, even when you believed the transaction and/or visit to be private and/or secure.

I have been stating all of this for many years. If you paid attention, well, good for you. If you mocked me, well, be concerned, but more important, implement changes and do things differently from this moment forward. Personally, I believe they've been working on ruining the internet for all of us for years. Get your house in order before it's too late.

Are you awake yet? 

On the Topic of Consultations

I have received so many requests for consultations the last few months, yet have not had a single consult with anyone. In that respect, this is a necessary post and you'll know why by the time it's finished. In all honesty, I did not expect a single request to actually result in a consult anyway because they all read like pure BS.

I believe that more often than not, it's angry law enforcement officers and/or related to the Paul Bergrin case, which I have blogged on relentlessly for some time now, but am now done with. If I had to take a wild guess, I'd say that 9 out of 10 requests are related to the above two groups; perhaps even 10 of 10. Is that crazy or what? I consider it to be so. Too many people with far too much time on their hands while claiming to be public servants.

Some of the most absurd statements and consultation requests are moved to the "abuse" folder and others are deleted. Sometimes, when the message is cloudy, I'll respond and include instructions for payment and a link to my consultation page outlining what specifically I offer and how it works. For your own information, here is a link to that page:

Consultant Services

There is a reason behind every statement made on that page. If you clearly have not read either Blueprint for an Escort Service or Complete Blueprint for an Escort Service, you'll need to pay for the Platinum package or the Max package. Obviously the reason for this is that I will be reading much of my book to you on the telephone, so one hour just ain't going to cut it. Really I have no clue why anyone that skipped reading one of those books would even want a consultation with me. Makes no sense whatsoever.

But I have no issue with reading one of the books to you over the phone. Payment is required in advance, of course.

And then there are the requests that I call you by dialing a number on your linked explicit website to schedule a consultation. Why anyone would consider me to be that desperate and/or stupid, I can't even imagine. Me calling you is a consultation and how in the hell would I know if that's your website or not? Duh.

But one of the most absurd sort of requests that I have had on occasion and as recent as last week is the federal inmate that sends me a Corrlinks request. I accept all such requests, well, because I am a nice person and have no clue what they want, but when the first email the inmate sends is a thank-you for agreeing to consult with him about opening an escort service in BOP email, well, expect to get blasted. I didn't agree to crap and only a total moron would ever consult on such a subject via BOP email.

This is what I get for being nice to people. Far too many, especially in LE, do not comprehend that kindness does not equal stupidity. In the last situation described, I responded not only with a blast, but also instructions to inform his handler that no one, let alone me, is that dumb. All informants have handlers. I will tell you that in short time and on the same day, I received a hang-up call from a Miami telephone number on my personal telephone number and that inmate had stated that he was from Miami. His release date in the BOP inmate locator was in 2017. No one should know my personal phone number anyway unless I give it to them and only a few friends have it. Some idiot looking for his next 5K1 or Rule 35 victim. Another duh.

Most recently - like yesterday - I received an extremely lengthy email from someone telling me all the steps he'd made towards opening and operating a service and not even one of those steps is anything close to what I recommend in either book. The party claimed to need a free consultation because he'd spent all his money on attorney consults and non-existent start-up costs, hiring bodyguards, and drivers and on and on and on... I couldn't make this stuff up people. I almost responded by asking him if his email was a joke, but decided to just move the email to that "abuse" folder instead. 

I have responded to numerous emails by asking if it was some weird joke lately - they seem to be rolling out of the closet (or coming out of the woodwork) these days, but I really can't get beyond anyone actually thinking I'm that level of stupid.

And then there are the people that email me attempting to change my mind about various things stated in the book and requesting a consultation at the same time. Of course each wants to know how to pay me immediately so that consult can be scheduled ASAP. Of course no money is ever sent to the method I state as the only way to pay me. Of course they email many more times trying desperately to convince me how wrong I am on specific topics. Right.

My books are what I think and nothing anyone could state will ever change my mind. And really who cares anyway? As with any book advising on business, it's up to you to take what you need and leave the rest. Whether you follow any or all of my advice is in the category of not my problem or none of my business. But I make this statement knowing that it is not real people contacting me with questionable lengthy emails. It is LE dumb enough to think they could succeed in prosecuting me for publishing books about opening and operating a legitimate service. The specific wording in statements reveals that much.

Like I already stated, I believe that at least 9 out of 10 of these requests are law enforcement / prosecutor / investigator related. For whatever strange reasoning, these dolts actually think I fell off a turnip truck somewhere in Idaho yesterday. Just crazy.

At least now I can simply respond with a link to this post. *smile* 

Aphrodite Companions Indictment

I updated my last post yesterday and stated that the Aphrodite Companions case showed as "closed" or terminated. At that time there was no second case showing in PACER, but there is now. For whatever reasoning, it was opened under a new case number in the same circuit. Now there is an indictment filed as well as several additional documents.

I have not had the time to read the indictment yet and will update this post after I do so later tonight or tomorrow. According to a statement in one document, they are both in the plea deal process. You can read the Aphrodite Companions indictment and the other documents listed below for yourself:

Aphrodite Companions Indictment 12 August 2013

Aphrodite Companions Arraignment 13 August 2013

Aphrodite Companions Order 14 August 2013

Aphrodite Companions Order to Continue 14 August 2013


Please do not attempt to discuss the case with Melissa or Vincent Lombardo; to do so would be a disservice to both of them.


UPDATE on 16 August 2013 @1:15AM:

Well, that was the most boring indictment I've ever read. It's clear that the Lombardos are in talks with the government. Not much else to say and this case is over for me.

Aphrodite Companions Information Update

UPDATE on 13 August 2013 @6:45PM:

It appears that the case against the owners of Aphrodite Companions is closed, which of course makes no sense as there are no documents filed on this - just the notation on the docket report that the case is terminated as of 12 August 2013. The only time I see this sort of conclusion is if a case was filed in a different Circuit. Also, according to the BOP Inmate Locator, both Vincent and Melissa Lombardo are still in MDC Brooklyn with an "unknown" release date. This is some sort of game, but your guess is as good as mine as to what is really happening in the case.

Aphrodite Companions 13 August 2013 (Vincent Lombardo)

Aphrodite Companions Case Closed 13 August 2013 (Melissa Lombardo)


END OF UPDATE


I have read and reread the Aphrodite Companions Complaint numerous times. I suppose that I'm trying to analyze the situation or at least why it happened to this company specifically and perhaps that is an exercise in futility. When you think about it, the how and the why is immaterial. It is what it is, right?

Any escort business that makes the choice to operate in multiple states, or globally as Aphrodite Companions did, could be the next candidate for federal indictment. I figure it's time to discuss it as the indictment may be filed tomorrow or it could also be filed next year or never. I'm not going to sit around and theorize for that long. The feds may not be in any hurry to file that indictment, so I won't be checking PACER on a daily basis, but I usually visit to research a couple of times a week anyway and will check at that time. As of the time of this posting, the indictment has not been filed.

One issue must be stated clearly first: Detective Myles Mahady is an anti-prostitution crusader and he has extensive experience in the field. Whatever he's decided to do by filing that complaint first, you could assume that he knows what he's doing. Most federal prosecutions are by indictment and I'd venture a guess that Mahady is in the midst of a major investigation.

Some Background on Detective Myles Mahady

There is some interesting information on Mahady in the book, "Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Elliot Spitzer," and I happen to have a copy. I found it (new paperback) on sale on Amazon for under $3 around Christmas. Now (this minute) it's on sale for $3.61. Definitely worth a read if you are currently doing business in Manhattan or ever intend to.

While I did not realize it until it was brought to my attention, I know more about Mahady than any book reveals, so I'll leave the information in the book where it is and the decision to read it up to you and tell you something that I already knew. Mahady was the lead detective on the NY Confidential case. In case you are not already aware, Jason Itzler owned NY Confidential and Natalia (Natalie McLennan) was his main escort for most of the duration of that business. Her book is titled, "The Price: My Rise and Fall as Natalia, New York's #1 Escort," though it has a rather high price at the moment.

I have spent much of my spare time blogging about the Paul Bergrin prosecution and trials on the Paul Bergrin Blog this year and on my Accused Madam Blog last year. However, I have no documents from Bergrin's NY state case. Paul Bergrin was Jason Itzler's attorney when Itzler owned NY Confidential (and prior to that) and eventually pleaded to a misdemeanor count in the case just to make it go away as he faced a much worse fiasco of a prosecution in Newark. Natalie McLennan testified for the government in the last Bergrin trial.

Jason Itzler was not called as a witness in Paul Bergrin's last trial and all of Natalie's testimony was really hearsay --- Jason told me this and Jason told me that etc.... So while I considered Itzler an informant in past as a result of statements he made to news reporters, he did not testify in the Bergrin trial. Really, I think he's just a clown. Why? Well, his many statements to news reporters in past. I also blogged about Natalie McLennan during Bergrin's trial:

Tweeting from Tahiti

In the Land of Make Believe

Detective Mahady worked closely with FBI Special Agent Shawn Brokos in connection with Paul Bergrin's NY state case and held-off on filing it until the feds were ready to file the Newark indictment. Brokos is a real piece of work, but you could read more on that in:

The Blind and Unbridled Ambition of a Narcissistic FBI Agent

Back to the Aphrodite Companions Case

Take a moment to check a few names in the Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator and you'll see that Paul Bergrin is in MDC Brooklyn. Other than one week immediately after his trial when he was vindictively transferred to Essex County Jail and separated from all of his legal papers, Bergrin has been in MDC Brooklyn for over 4 years. Guess who else is in MDC Brooklyn... Check the BOP Inmate Locator for Vincent Lombardo and Melissa Lombardo. Interesting indeed.

If you know the Lombardos, you can always write a letter, but I would not attempt to discuss the case with either of them:

Melissa Lee Lombardo - #80711-053

MDC Brooklyn

Metropolitan Detention Center

P.O. Box 329002

Brooklyn, NY 11232

Vincent Lombardo - #80712-053

MDC Brooklyn

Metropolitan Detention Center

P.O. Box 329002

Brooklyn, NY 11232

On a different note, I did some reading on The Erotic Review (TER) last night and consider the situation improved in reference to reviews since my last visit over a year ago. Perhaps the majority of explicit reviews published these days were written by law enforcement or a few idiots. I am not a member and can't access the "juicy details," but site participants do not seem to be as insanely explicit in the discussions as in past.

I did note that one person commented in numerous discussions that the Aphrodite Companions arrest could be attributed to doing business with clients in other countries and several others picked-up on that and used the "foreign commerce" statement from the complain; however, they all omit the "interstate" part of the statement. For the record, any federal indictments or complaints related to escort or prostitution businesses use the terms together.

Any conclusions as to what caused this investigation that resulted in prosecution are theories at this point. It may have been a wire transfer from Dubai to an Aphrodite account or it may simply be the interstate operation business model. It could also be enemies making police complaints - I state this after reading the "rip-off reports" by a vindictive escort or two and the statements of a complaining escort on the ECCIE forum. I have heard a variety of theories and they are all exactly that.

Mentioning the complaining escort on ECCIE, what in the world gave this woman the idea that Aphrodite Companions would pay for her attorney in her solicitation arrest? If this was some promise made by an Aphrodite representative (Pamela) as the woman claims, I can see why Melissa and Vincent Lombardo were arrested and are being prosecuted. But note that I seriously doubt any such promise was made to the complaining escort.

Tolerating TER: A Reminder

Last night I came across an article online that reminded me of why I shouldn't wish ill will on The Erotic Review (TER). It is my opinion that TER and other sites like it have successfully set women's rights back more than a century. Women are treated like merchandise or a product on Amazon on these sites and many of the male participants would have it no other way as is clear by a read through some reviews.

The problem, at least for me, is that these women accept this delegation to last class citizenry on these websites without much objection as if it's all a part of business. It's not a part of any decent business and shouldn't be acceptable for a woman selling her time and companionship to be reviewed like a pair of shorts or any inanimate object. Companionship is personal and should be treated as such. Most people will not have the same experience anyway because we are talking about people and human behavior here.

So before I digress too far, realize that my issue is the toleration for such behavior by a major online community. Forget the fact that we are all traceable these days and the writing and acceptance of such reviews by all participants is just plain stupid.

I'm sure that there are some mild and kind reviews written by nice gentlemen on TER, ECCIE, and various other review and membership sites in the world of adult business, but they are few and far between. The sort of reviews that I am referring to are what is discussed in the Aphrodite Companions Complaint in #20 on pages 14-15, #23 on pages 23-25, and #25 on pages 25-26.

What sort of deranged client would want to call a "provider" that provides services like that? Well, I will tell you - these are the people that I refused to book when I had escort services. For more than a decade, they've found their own little holes on the internet and succeeded at changing the business for "providers" and services alike. Most of us old-school service owners consider them to be the street trash of adult business.

I have no clue what value a service could see in this sort of thing and consider it a one-way trip down indictment lane. We can all be happy that the great majority of the provider participants require advance appointments and aren't interested in lower rates for dinner bookings. There will always be a place for real escort services.

Yes, I have digressed from the entire point of this post. The article I found last night was written by John Moore: Censorship starts with porn

Mr. Moore is correct, you know, especially with this sentence: "Here’s a radical idea: Let’s subcontract Internet-governance to the Taliban."

I certainly do not want to become the censor of anything in adult business online, but some of the stuff in these reviews is so disgusting that eventually it will run all adult business underground. Agencies have no excuse though. If an escort that's been on TER expresses an interest in working with your business, and you read a review like the ones quoted in the complaint, tell her to retrieve her self-esteem or get used to working alone, but certainly do not attempt to play in that game.

Aphrodite Companions Owners Arrested

A reader brought it to my attention this morning that Melissa and Vincent Lombardo, the owners of Aphrodite Companions, were both arrested yesterday. Melissa is known to most as Pamela. In the distant past, I exchanged numerous emails with Pamela and she was very nice and respectful, though we found no common ground for discussion.

Aphrodite Companions was one more business that faced indictment because of how they operated. Really they are charged with money laundering that is based on violating the New York law of promoting prostitution by the feds. I'm sort of surprised that the Travel Act (over the touring escorts) was not thrown in the federal complaint, but the actual indictment is not filed yet, so this is still a possibility.

Read the complaint, which I downloaded in PACER this morning, to understand why you should never participate in the TER (the erotic review) game. I have said it before and I'll say it again: TER is where local and federal agents investigating prostitution participate. The forums are entrenched with cops, whether you choose to believe it or not. The complaint and a few other docs:

Aphrodite Companions Complaint

Aphrodite Companions Detention Order 18 July 2013

Aphrodite Companions Docket Report

I dare you to read that complaint and defend TER to me. At this point, the Lombardos are being held without bail, though they do have arraignment in early August - the 1st I believe. They are both better off staying in custody - that way when they plead to charges, the time served will be counted. And they will eventually plead to charges in this case.

The investigator in this case is a NYPD detective. You could bet your last $ that he's on TER. At any rate, Pamela seemed like a nice woman to me and I am sorry that this has happened to her. I'd also bet that there's an escort or two involved. I have read numerous online stories about Aphrodite Companions written by women claiming to have worked there, but have serious doubts about the veractity of each.

I will post an update when the indictment is available - probably within a week or so.

 

 

Current Spying Scandal: An Idea

Of course you're not doing anything illegal or even incorrect with your new escort service business. Still, no one wants all of their inner communications tracked. If you read my post on the topic of communications monitoring back in August of 2012, you should be aware of what your government does, if you were not already. In case you missed that post:

Operating an Escort Service in the Sunshine

With the current news in reference to government spying, thanks to Edward Snowden, my previous statements on the topic have been vindicated. Though I do not feel the statements I've made since late 2001 / early 2002 require any sort of vindication. So, if you called me paranoid, well, you missed the boat. They did it illegally before the Patriot Act passed in October 2001, and then legally thereafter. I read the Act as soon as the legislation passed, but none of our representatives did before signing it and now they're all acting surprised.

I want you to read the information available on the website, so I'm not offering a complete discussion here, but Silent Circle is a project of Phil Zimmermann. If you were online back in the 90s, you'll remember Mr. Zimmermann's creation of PGP - Pretty Good Privacy - an encryption and decryption program used with email. 

Silent Circle protects your communications from outside interference of any type and in the escort service business there are many potential threats not related to government or the current spying scandal in the news. This is a great idea for a list of reasons.

Now consider Silent Circle and read through the information on the website. They are having a sale currently and any service that you choose is 50% off, but that deal expires on August 12, 2013! I recommend the Silent Suite Pro, which includes the following:

Silent Phone

Silent Text

Silent Eyes

Silent Mail

You would want to add Out-Circle Access to the above referenced package. There is also Silent Circle Business available, but pricing is not stated and you'll need to contact the sales team for an idea of cost. I consider the business service to be for large businesses though and it is beyond the scope of this current idea. This is about your inner circle communications and not related to calls from clients.

I have every intention of signing-up for Silent Suite Pro myself and considered it months ago, but never acted. Now is a great time to act. I thank the operator of Cryptome as it was his statement of signing-up this week that prompted this post. What are we waiting for?

I may update this post in the near future with an account of my early experience with Silent Circle. I strongly encourage you to read all of the information on the website to develop a better understanding of what Silent Circle is and how it works. This advice is not intended as any sort of circumvention of laws anywhere. This is all about having secure communications, and in the escort business, this is of the utmost importance.


UPDATE:

On 21 June 2013, more information was released by The Guardian in relation to the "direct access" mentioned earlier by Edward Snowden. The way I am viewing it, this has no effects on the use of Silent Circle, but I need to take some time and look closer at the technical details. The article:

GCHQ taps fibre-optic cables for secret access to world's communications

The article is a must read for anyone concerned with privacy in my opinion. Much of this information with documents has been available on the Cryptome website for years (many), but the general population paid little attention. Now that the stories have gone mainstream, people are concerned and that's a good thing.

UPDATE: On 9 August 2013 @ 5:30PM:

Silent Circle has ended Silent Mail because of the Lavabit problems and closing. Read the news here:

To Our Customers

Excerpt:

"Today, another secure email provider, Lavabit, shut down their system lest they “be complicit in crimes against the American people.” We see the writing the wall, and we have decided that it is best for us to shut down Silent Mail now. We have not received subpoenas, warrants, security letters, or anything else by any government, and this is why we are acting now."

Sad story here...


UPDATE on 19 August 2013, @6:20pm:

Here is a post with excellent questions in reference to Silent Circle:

Open Letter to Phil Zimmermann and Jon Callas of Silent Circle on the Closure of the "Silent Mail" Service

This is the Silent Circle response:

Reply to Zooko by Jon Callas

My favorite quote from the reply is:

If I were them, what would I do?

In my oh so humble opinion, one must always assume that all communications are monitored these days. This is guidance that I have lived by since at least the year 1994, with the exception of a few angry outbursts at parties that harassed and abused me too long for comfort. That rule of life has served me well, especially last night. Feel free to take that last statement however you wish.

If I do not respond to an email you have sent me, it's because you're not as intelligent as you seem to believe. As a matter of fact, I'm adding a new rule to my life today... If I receive an email that's in any way legally compromising to me, it will be simply deleted as that's what the little trashcan icon is for. I am someone that suffered through more abuse than you are aware could happen in this country, unless you've read my Memoirs book, which would make you aware of some of that harassment. Today I'm just someone that wrote some books about her experiences and I'm absolutely done being abused over those books.

Best to you, if you're real.

Party Booking Issues

Many of you are opening escort services and also booking parties as a side business. No service should book parties unless they can manage to do it correctly. A main point is that a few drunk men can never be referred to as a "party" as this situation is not bookable.

I define "party" as an event usually planned well in advance and with a theme, such as a birthday celebration, a bachelor party, a retirement get-together. As the business, you would send professional, experienced entertainers with the required costumes, music, and party favors to the location. The dancers must have security or a chaperone and there is no way that you should ever book any party without - as I use the terms "chaperone" and "security" they are one and the same thing.

In past I recall services in Orlando that booked any group of drunken men, called it a party, and sent an escort or two to dance alone. Nothing like that will ever be a party. I used to book parties and simply passed the information on to a professional dancer for a fee. I quoted what the entertainer asked me to quote and informed the client booking the party of how it would work per my discussion with her. The entertainer called the client back and made the final arrangement.

The dancers or entertainers should have their own chaperone and usually this is a male friend or even a boyfriend, but the dancers should never go alone. A professional dancer that has worked in a decent adult club knows better than to accept an open drink from anyone. Of course an escort should know this too, but you'd be surprised...

An example of an escort service booking a party that went bad is the Duke lacrosse player saga from North Carolina back in 2006. I do consider the escort service that booked this mess to be at fault. No way the booker should have ever sent two escorts to a frat party without security to begin with. In the days that followed, it became clear that Crystal Mangum accepted an open drink at that party and if she did so there, it's more than likely that she did so earlier as well.

While I do not pretend to know who specifically assaulted Crystal Mangum or even whether it happened at that party or at earlier calls she was dispatched to, it's clear to me that she was drugged. Her statements and behavior in the 2-3 days that followed revealed that much. Of course she was unable to identify her attackers and it's hard for me to understand why anyone could think it possible to begin with. In my opinion, prosecutors did not even consider that she was drugged and I do not believe she was tested for specific drugs (like Rohypnol) immediately after it happened.

The name of the escort service that Ms. Mangum worked with was Allure Escort Service in Raleigh and I have no idea if they're still in business or not. You will find that the articles remaining online today are biased against Ms. Mangum. However, earlier statements made it all too obvious that she was drugged by someone somewhere - there is no question in my mind. Yes, I was once drugged at a club in Orlando back in the mid-1990s and I know the symptoms, lack of a focused memory of anything etc....

Because of the way the investigation was handled and the fact that no one bothered to test for specific drugs, Crystal Mangum has suffered ever since. She is currently awaiting trial on a murder charge. The main point here is that none of this should have ever happened. If Allure did not book a bunch of intoxicated college players and send out escorts with no chaperone, it would not have happened.

Please follow my advice in the book as it relates to booking parties. I will add that it is a good idea to have a short discussion with each escort at the initial interview concerning accepting open drinks from any client, no matter that he is alone or how trustworthy you may believe him to be or if he is a repeat. I recall one escort in past that was turned away from a call because she refused to accept a glass of wine from an open bottle at a repeat client's residence as soon as she arrived. Better safe than sorry.

If you are unable to book parties using professional, experienced entertainers that have their own chaperone(s) as a side business, then do not book parties at all. There are professional entertainment companies that you could make arrangements with in advance to earn a referral fee.

Missing in Action

Hello dear escort business entrepreneurs!

I know that I have been missing in action lately and it is a combination of factors. A main reason is that there is not much to say - if you are interested in opening an escort service, you need to purchase Blueprint for an Escort Service and you will learn all you need to know. Another factor at the forefront is my blog in defense of Paul Bergrin, a great attorney and courtroom brawler, who is suffering an unimaginable prosecution.

Not much changes with the escort or entertainment industry except marketing and advertising venues and approaches. I have some updated information in the Blueprint Updates on my website, but have been lax for the last 4 months. I doubt that much has changed anyway, so most likely no one missed me.

I do hope that my readers understand the importance of my posting on the Paul Bergrin Blog and ignoring my other blogs. If you do not, you will if you ever have need for a zealous attorney to defend you in a courtroom. As most of you are aware, I had such a need in past when I faced decades in prison as a result of a wrongful prosecution. Make no mistake - Bergrin's defense abilities in a courtroom play a definitive part in the reason he was indicted.

A woman that publicly claimed to be the most expensive escort in the world testified in Bergrin's trial a couple of weeks ago. That woman is Natalie McLennan and she worked for Jason Itzler, owner of New York Confidential years ago. Her testimony to nothing much, as she witnessed nothing anyway, was in exchange for a plea deal to a misdemeanor instead of a felony. I was not kind to her in my posts, for good reason.

Anyway, I will be posting in the near future on the topic of parties: bachelor parties, birthday parties and all types of parties that would require one to book strippers. For the moment, I just wanted to let you know that I am still alive and blogging for purpose on a different blog.

I wish you the best in your entrepreneurial pursuits! 

Watch out for the Abolitionists

In this context, the term abolitionists is a reference to the anti-adult business organizations popping-up everywhere disguised as sex trafficking experts and former hookers banding together to save the children from prostitution. Well, if you've read my books, you damn sure know that there have never been any children involved. But hey - these people are sucking the government $$$s up in the form of grants for their newly discovered cause and coming between an abolitionist and her money can be a dangerous undertaking.

So I stated a challenge to the last one I encountered in an Orlando Sentinel news article: Children caught in sex trade to be seen as victims

Yes, I have encountered so many of these save the children from sex-traffickers organizations recently that I have had my fill of the lot of them. Sometimes they write me emails with 20 questions. They claim to be sex-trafficking experts, which I seriously doubt, but I am certainly an expert on the so-called sex trafficking experts. My expertise is my many years of dealing with abolitionists that despise me, dating as far back as 1994. Most are seriously religious.

So what is the challenge?

Well, the article linked above was the second of its type that I have come across in the Sentinel in the last few days. These people claim there is a major child sex-trafficking problem in Central Florida. I call bullshit. The challenge as stated in the article comments, which thus far (6+ hours later), not a living soul has bothered to respond to:

There are not that many of these victims though and there are new non-profits popping-up daily competing for major grants. Way too many organizations lately. If we did a real count of child / under 18 victims of sex-trafficking, I'd be surprised if any one of these organizations could cite 10 cases in Orange County in 2012.

I can think of 3 cases that I have read about so I figure there may be double that. Come on researchers - it is your time to shine. Case numbers please.

Yeah. The truth is that I recall reading about three cases in the last year+ in Orange County (Orlando), Florida and trust me - the MBI puts on a big show for the news when they have an actual child (teenager) sex-trafficking case, so it is not as if this stuff does not make the news.

I'd bet my last $ that the so-called sex-trafficking experts whining about Central Florida being a hotbed for such activity can't come-up with 10 actual cases from 2012. These people are all anti-prostitution crusaders that attack all adult businesses and happen upon a teenager every now and again. The huge waste of money for the anti-prostitution agenda care of any taxpayers in this country is just crazy. Remember - it all started in Orlando. Now it is full circle as these people are entrenched here.

My favorite columnist at the Sentinel wrote about a couple, previously with Campus Crusade for Christ, that decided to drop their lucrative non-profit careers with the church and take-up the cause of teenage prostitution in Orlando with a new non-profit. The article: Fighting teenage prostitution in America's fantasy land

Even the one case in Orlando mentioned by Scott Maxwell in the article was about a man from Orlando, but the case happened in Tampa. Regardless, I do recall three cases in more than a year. Let's see if these dedicated people raking-in the $$$ from government grants can find 10 Orlando cases in 2012. Let's face it - if there aren't even 10 cases in a major metropolitan city in an entire year, these people are not needed because this is far from the crisis they claim it to be. They're here for the grant money.

Yes, I am an expert on those anti-adult business crusaders. Stay tuned - I will update this post IF they manage to find the 10 cases, but don't hold your breath.

Happy New Year and Other Stuff

I truly admire the people that visit this blog. For the most part, you're a driven group of people that have arrived on the Blueprint Blog in your search for information on how to open and operate an escort service. You have an idea and you want to know how to implement a plan, be safe, and make money at the same time. Even if money is not your ultimate goal, you've come to the conclusion that the revolution must be funded via some means and what better way than this?

A Year for Censorship - Reflection 

It (2012) has been a trying year for those of you already in the escort business. Censorship of anything adult has come to be accepted by the general population. Some of you may be thinking that the word "censorship" is being used improperly here.

Actual censorship is only applicable with government involvement and a business (i.e. Google, Yahoo, Bing, all newspapers etc...) has the right to choose who it does business with. This is true, except for the fact that it is the hand of government behind the elimination of all that is adult from the internet and newspapers.

Some of you are aware of the fiasco with Google over Maps and Places listings for escort services. The bottom line is that if you're operating a legitimate, licensed business, you can argue it and any suspended listing will be reinstated, eventually. It certainly is a time waster though, isn't it?

There were several rogue Map Makers that made claims of all escort businesses being illegal and according to the arguments I became involved in, they were backed by Google. Well, Google has cleared the air on the topic and you shouldn't have any trouble - if you are operating legitimately and have a license. Really that is good news because those of you that do it all correctly do not need or want the unlicensed online marketers' listings competing with your own. Good riddance to them, right?

On the other hand, during the course of the big purge of escort services from Places, they have ruined it as a tool. Google "your city escorts" or "your city escort service" in Maps or Places and you will see every type of business in the world listed there with one or two escort services - everything from finance companies to high schools. So, they succeeded in ruining it - that is a fact. It is still worth fighting them to get your listing posted or reinstated though. Spend 15 minutes a day working at it until you succeed.

Marketing your escort business today

The truth is that I was never much at marketing. The way I know the business, it is most intelligent to just place ads where other services advertise and try to make your own stand-out in the crowd. It is the renegade marketer placing ads where they do not belong that will end-up with problems in the long-term.

You place the listings and ads where they belong and the clients will locate you and call. Same deal with the escorts seeking calls - there is no need to "recruit escorts" as several have stated it to me in email. If a client can find your listings and ads, so can an escort. Simple stuff there people.

With this type of business, you do not throw marketing copy or ads in everyone's face. They must be seeking you and not vice versa. This is where the marketers and I part ways because this business is not supposed to be marketed as a book, or a vacation to Belize, or a house is. For the 10 years that I was in the biz in Orlando, I simply placed ads and listings where they belonged and clients found me. It is the same in any geographical market.

If you force the church people to view your ads, don't be surprised when it bites you in the ass. On the other hand, if the church people (or rogue Map Makers) succeed at removing your listings from a place (Places) where they do belong, they should expect to see those listings all over the place in all sorts of categories. It's a two-way street, for sure. Look at what happened with Craigslist - there are no "adult" categories today, but you'll find adult ads all over in many different categories.

Whatever happened to the .xxx thing?

Well, I went searching this last week and discovered it to be a no man's land of sorts. Google, Yahoo, and Bing do not index the .xxx sites in regular search results and there is a specific search engine for these sites. It isn't much different than moving the red-light district out of town, on the outskirts of nowhere, and hoping no one ever finds it. In the case of .xxx, it appears that no one does find it.

The special, isolated search engine is http://www.search.xxx/ and it is referred to as, "The Search Engine for Porn". Well, we are operating businesses for adults here, but porn is an entirely different topic. Who in the hell wants to be listed in the porn search engine with an escort business site? No one with much intelligence, or at least no one in the US.

Search for something - like Miami escorts - and look at all of the "quick search" categories to your left. Good grief - as an escort business owner, I'd run from all of the terms listed except two. Perhaps this works for people in other countries that operate in those countries, but in the US, it's a one-way street to an indictment.

I'd still have one .xxx site if I were in the biz today, but it would probably be the most conservative of any listed, which is not a bad thing. Of course a client searching in that search engine is not really seeking conservative, so you may not do any business from that particular site, or you may start a new trend. For the price of a domain, it's worth a try anyway.

A FREE book for you

I sell few copies of my Memoirs of an Accused Madam: The War on Adult Business in Orlando book and decided to place it in Amazon's Kindle Select program. This allows me to offer it for free for a few days and hopefully sell a few copies once the free days are over. Memoirs will be free in all Amazon Kindle stores 30-31 December 2012. Search for it by my name in any specific country Kindle store.

The way Amazon works, this would be from 12:01AM PST (Pacific Standard Time) 30 December 2012 through 11:59PM PST on 31 December 2012. Times are always approximate and if you do not see it free, then try again in a few hours.

I really advise anyone getting into or already in the escort business to read that book. Find out what they really did to me and how I turned the tables on them. Sure, I was acquitted on all counts by a jury following a two-week trial, but they ruined me in the process and I am still suffering from the experience. If you learn nothing else from the book, you should learn that Orlando is not the place to operate such a business.

I have noticed several new services in the Orlando area recently and imagine that those operators think it was something I did that resulted in my prosecution / persecution. Well, newsflash people: All that I did was exist, and I did so legitimately. Yes, my case put the powers that be in their place in a sense, but only in the sense that they make sure they have all their ducks in a row before pursuing arrest of an agency owner.

Orlando is nothing you want to mess with - trust me on that or read the book - even as conservative as I am with the business. If you do not have a Kindle, all you need to do is download the Kindle app for your PC, laptop, or smartphone. No excuses people.

The book is the Second Edition with most aliases omitted because I had an argument of sorts with some asshat cop under the original edition when he claimed that the characters were mixed-up. No, all it was is that my subconscious used the real name of the main case agent twice in just under 300 pages and I decided not to change it. The main case agent that abused so many people had an alias in the original book. I solved that problem for asshat the cop by writing a second edition with real names. Please laugh - I did. ;)

The only review on the book is on Goodreads and was written by someone named Drew. I have no connection whatsoever to Drew and it is a totally random review (that I love). I never solicit reviews - you should know that if you've read through my blogs. Read it: Drew's Review


I wish all a great New Year in 2013! May you prosper in all of your entrepreneurial pursuits!

Marie McKinlay Not Guilty in London Trial

First I must congratulate this brave defendant that suffered through something that is unimaginable to most people! Marie McKinlay was cleared on charges of running a prostitution racket (controlling prostitution for gain) in London and according to the Daily Mail, "sobbed with relief" when the jury delivered the not guilty verdicts. She had an intelligent jury that could see through the case that prosecutors presented:

Former call girl is cleared of running €500,000 high class prostitute agency

I used to hold a title of sorts for being the only escort business owner in the world (as far as I am aware) to be found not guilty by jury verdict on charges of operating an organized prostitution ring. In the US this is referred to as "organized crime" and RICO (racketeer influenced corrupt organization) charges filed. Now I am just the title holder in the US. In both situations the case was presented as the escorts or prostitutes being "employees" of the agency when in reality, it was much the opposite.

I have no idea what sort of penalty Marie McKinlay faced, but I faced a possible sentence of up to 60 years in a Florida prison. In Florida the two charges I was on trial for are first degree felonies. I will imagine that the potential penalties are much less in London, where the act of prostitution is absolutely legal for the prostitute.

Anyone in the UK have an idea of the possible penalty that Marie could have received if found guilty by the jury?

This case is also representative of why a defendant should take the case to a jury if that defendant knows the case was improperly charged, the business structure was set-up correctly, and they're not guilty of the charges and willing to testify. Marie's willingness to testify was extremely important. If a defendant is unwilling to swear to the truth under questioning on the stand in trial, then a jury knows no more than what the prosecutors claim.

I see that Marie is smiling and happy as she walked away from the court. I ran (literally) from the courthouse after collecting my paperwork and speaking with my attorney for a few moments. Marie is pregnant and could not run or most likely would have. We must ask ourselves why prosecutors often pursue those that deserve it the least. There is always a hidden agenda.

I cry for you as I type this Marie. It brings back memories and a flood of emotion.

Congratulations to Marie McKinlay!

The Marie McKinlay Trial in London: A Discussion

I have read several articles in the last week about the trial of Marie McKinlay in London. Marie is a 40 year-old mother of two that's accused of operating a brothel and an organized prostitution ring. I do not have access to actual court documents and can only interpret what I have read in the news. In fact, I do not know the specific charges that she is on trial for.

This article repeatedly refers to specific amounts of money in her bank account: Mother, 40, accused of running high-class vice ring

I think that's wonderful that she managed to cover her children's education and support them fully with no outside assistance. I do not understand the consistent reference to finances though, unless there is a related charge. Would we rather she was on public assistance?

According to all that I have read, Marie operated a top-level business and all of the escorts were 100% independent, setting their own hours, and paying 30% of the booking rate as a fee for marketing and appointment setting services. Marie took-over the administrative aspect of the service in 2002, while working as an escort for the operation controlled in its entirety by five escorts. This article reveals that she is testifying in trial: 'Escort Madam': I love money and sex

By all counts, I am not sure that I understand why prosecutors would target this strong, independent woman operating as ethically and correctly as possible. The statement is the reason, more likely than not - many in this world do not like independent women that need no help from anyone.

In the last article linked, take note of the images of the escorts and the description of what each offered. The article refers to "girlfriend experience" and "porn star experience," and both are terms that no one in the US in their right mind uses these days. Both terms come with serious baggage to state it mildly, though the wording is not actually illegal anywhere as far as I am aware; they're defined on forums and message boards everywhere.

In the UK, prostitution itself is not illegal for the prostitute; however, operating a brothel is indeed. I'm going to imagine that they expect the prostitutes to find customers online all by themselves with no assistance from anyone. Sounds inconsistent to me, although I do understand what such laws are intended to target. I do not believe that Marie McKinlay operated the sort of agency that the laws were intended for though.

I view each of the escorts working with Marie as operating their own business and contracting her marketing and appointment setting services. Consider that for a moment - it's sort of the reverse of the independent contractor / escort contracted by the agency in the US.

I do not know how trials work in the UK and only hope that Marie is found not guilty of anything she is charged with. While there may be technical improprieties, in spirit it is precisely the type of operation that any government should happily accept. Obviously no one has been coerced or forced in any way, shape, or form in this case. My thoughts are with the defendant.

Opening an Escort Service: The Facts

There are no real escort services that place ads on Backpage and anyone that believes differently is in denial. There are many independent escorts that utilize Backpage and other sites to place classified ads, but that is an entirely different subject. Opening an escort service anywhere in the US or elsewhere in the world requires some money. It is not cheap and it is far from easy.

I see so many people cutting corners these days that it's beyond ridiculous. Who in the hell told you that you could open any business with $100 or less? Certainly not me. As a matter of fact, I used to state that you could do it on just less than $1000 and changed that well over a year ago to closer to $1500 to $2000 minimum. Technology always evolves and what worked a couple of years ago may or may not work today.

Really my reference to cutting corners is the refusal by so many to purchase the appropriate business license that describes specifically what they offer. In most areas of the US, that means an "escort service" license, but in other areas it is "outcall promoter" or even "entertainment". It depends on what you offer and where you are opening the business. You can read most local ordinances and codes that describe specific licenses by visiting the Municipal Code Corporation website. All areas are not the same.

You will come across some areas that really complicate the license for an "escort service" and if you encounter this, it is advisable to either choose a different area OR adjust your business model and what you offer. Do not just skip it all and operate without a license because that is a clear path to arrest. The independent escorts that you contract are not immune from the license process either and in most areas of the world are required to obtain a license to be in business.

Getting into business is not an overnight project. Sure, there will always be idiots that place classified ads on various sites like Backpage and refer to themselves as a business, but actually opening a business requires filing the correct state and local paperwork, designing an actual website(s), visiting an accountant and at some point an attorney. There is so much more to opening a business than placing ads on a classified ads site.

This blog receives far too many reads from people all over the world for the low sales that my Blueprint books have lately. If you have decided to give away or sell digital copies of my book without including me in the process, I hope that your bad karma bites you in the ass. If you downloaded a free copy somewhere, do the right thing and donate by purchasing a copy somewhere that I sell my books, and do it now so that I can have a Christmas.

Information is not free - at least not my information earned through blood, sweat, tears, a horrific two-week trial, and all of the subsequent abuse I have suffered since my acquittal. If you actually pay attention to everything I say in Blueprint for an Escort Service, I have provided you with extremely valuable information - $thousands of $s worth of information. This ain't a fiction book and it already sells at very low prices anywhere that I offer it.

I ask that you actually read the book before emailing me with your stupid questions that are already answered if you had bothered to read. I do not respond kindly to stupid questions answered clearly in my books. This is serious business and I assume that you consider entering the escort business world to make money - what a concept! Yes, we all need to make some money to survive and if you pay attention to my material you will do far more than just survive - you will thrive.

Welcome to capitalism.


Updated on 12 November 2012 to respond to a comment:

It was against my better judgment to allow your comment to post. You have a woman in a skimpy pair of see-thru underwear on your front page. While it is entirely up to you what you do with your business, I have repeatedly recommended discretion - on this blog and in my books. Links deemed "adult" can cause my blog to be deleted, so I have chosen to copy/paste the comment herein:

""There are no real escort services that place ads on Backpage and anyone that believes differently is in denial." Then why do you recommend doing it in your book on page 192? I did purchase it from you,in case you're wondering. :)"

First of all, thank you for purchasing the "Complete Blueprint" book - I truly appreciate it. The quoted statement is a reference to advertising your escort service on Backpage - nowhere have I ever recommended that.  I do understand how the statement could be misconstrued though. The statement in "The Complete Blueprint for an Escort Service" (published in May of 2010) related to posting an ad seeking independent escorts to work with your business and I also state that you should not link your service website in that ad - which eliminates any form of advertising the business. However, I have changed the Backpage statement in that book over a year ago here on the blog and then in the Blueprint Updates when I added the pages to my website.

No service should be placing ANY ad on Backpage. This has been stated repeatedly for well over a year now and in the February 2012 published edition of "Blueprint for an Escort Service". Backpage (BP) has been hot, hot, hot all over the US for at least a year now. I used to like BP back when it was not so popular, but after it was attacked by media and government everywhere, well, I ditched that thought. That happened about the same time that Craigslist closed the "adult jobs" and "erotic services" categories worldwide.

Not intending to be rude, but you'd have to be asleep at the wheel to miss the serious attacks leveled at BP for more than a year now. I've written about it more than once here and on my other blog. I appreciate the First Amendment right of BP to publish such ads and will always side with them, but have no desire to jump-in the fiasco and wouldn't recommend this to anyone else.

The Blueprint Updates are linked in the navigation bar here or you can go to Blueprint Updates on my website. There are 4 topic specific pages linked on that main page and in the top navigation bar on the website. These updates are really important - please do read. Most are technology related as applicable to websites, advertising etc... At the time I decided to post updates on the website, I removed most blog posts here related to updates of the book.

Beyond that, please feel free to contact me privately regarding advice in reference to your website.


Vicky

Do Not Mess with the IRS

A federal case filed recently in Las Vegas was brought to my attention by a reader of my blogs. I retrieved all of the available documents from PACER and they're uploaded to my Updates (Documents) page of my website. The only named defendant in the case is Emmanouil (Manny) Varagiannis and though the indictment includes numerous statements referencing prostitution, there is no actual charge for anything related. The charges involve transaction structuring to evade reporting requirements.

Transaction structuring is defined as making deposits to a financial institution (banks in this case) and "structuring" to avoid the requirement that a report be filled out by the bank teller for deposits of $10K and over. According to what I read, one bank teller sort of advised him to divide deposits and avoid the government form and that's where it all began.

As for the allegations of prositution in his escort business, or rather outcall promoter business, the man is not charged with anything related. I believe that detectives in Las Vegas managed to bust an escort or two, but that certainly won't make a legal case against the acting manager, which is the position Varagiannis holds. Some woman that is owner of a men's club and was obviously involved with him in past made allegations, but I do not see anything in any document claiming there to be a wiretap or tape of the admissions the woman claims that Varagiannis made privately.


Scorned woman syndrome or what?

It does seem that way from what I read in the indictment and other documents. Apparently detectives approached the woman at her club and the conversation evolved to what is stated in the indictment:

Varagiannis Las Vegas Indictment

Really this is all about structuring to avoid IRS reporting requirements. This is a main reason that if opening and operating an escort business or an outcall promotion company, you need to see an accountant. If you open in Vegas, you need an accountant immediately and before an attorney. Clark County charges a % of the gross income as a part of the license, so there's no way you could procrastinate on the accountant.

There are other allegations in the indictment that refer to a program offering taxi drivers kickbacks for referrals. I am not clear on why it is even mentioned as it is not illegal to do so; however, the cabbie (taxi driver) would of course be responsible to report any money earned on his income tax filings.

The bottom line to this case is do not mess with the IRS, no matter how anyone at a bank suggests you structure your deposits. You are responsible. More on this case as documents are made available.

Google Play: Ebooks Now Activated in More Countries

I just now visited my account to sell ebooks in Google Play and noticed that activation in Brazil, India, and Russia is now available. I have activated all books for sale in all countries listed. I do apologize if you looked for my books in the Google Play store and were unable to find any on a search in these countries, but I rarely visit this area of my account.

To find Blueprint for an Escort Service, you may need to click the link herein or in the blog sidebar. The reason it is not findable in a search in the Google Play store is related to my allowing Google to assign an ISBN. I think that if you are in another country, say Russia, and you click the included link to the US store, you will be automatically redirected to the Russia Play store. Please advise if this is not the situation.

I have noted many visitors to this blog from Russia, India, and Brazil this past week and now I understand why. Please do inform me if you have any trouble finding a book - comment anonymously (or not) to this post and I will respond. I do ask that you do not include links to any adult websites that have nudity. We are more censored in the US than most people believe. I certainly have no issue with nudity or porn, but the blog would no longer be included in relevant search results with these type of links.

If you purchase The Complete Blueprint for an Escort Service, you will need to read the Blueprint Updates on my website as the book was published in May of 2010. If you purchase Blueprint for an Escort Service, this is not as important as it was recently updated (February of 2012), and most of the updates on the website are included. I will be updating each page this week and always note the date and time of the last update at the bottom of the page.

This is the main page for the updates on the website: Blueprint Updates

These are the topic pages for updates:

Websites and Hosting

Focus on Local

Advertising

Business Models

I wish you the best in your entrepreneurial pursuits!


Vicky Gallas

The Worst Ad Ever for Backpage

There are many reasons that potential clients should not be dialing sex workers on Backpage, but I have never found a reason as valid as this story. There were 40 people arrested in Saint Cloud, Florida over the last few days in a sting operation. Now Saint Cloud is in Osceola County, which is at Disney's back gate. In other words, cops called ads in Orlando Backpage and booked sex workers.

See the images - all 40 of them. Collectively this group looks like a bunch of drug abusers, though there may be a few not on drugs:

40 Arrested in Saint Cloud Prostitution Bust (link no longer works, so no reason for post, but it was too much)


Have you ever seen a worst ad for Backpage? I can't even believe these people have the audacity to post an ad, but I really wonder what sort of images each used in the ads; obviously not their own.

I never post stuff like this, but I about fell out of my chair laughing...

Escort Services and Google Places

Many of you have experienced your Google Places escort service listings being deleted in the last 6 months. I discussed this previously a few posts back. However, if you have followed the guidelines stated back in March and again in July 2012, and checked the box to "hide your address" - your Places listing should show. All listings that were deleted should be reinstated.

A search for "Miami escorts" (substitute any city) today shows a bunch of absolutely irrelevant listings. For example, a financial planner, armed security services, animal control, a photography design studio, a magician, a university, a high school, a law firm etc... How absurd, right? These people have literally ruined Places. The good news is that now you can make them repair it by resubmitting your listing..

It was indeed a couple of renegade Map Makers that have caused all these troubles. They would have someone higher in the group that despised escort services as they did approve the delete while claiming that it was the rule. It was never the rule as I stated back in July. Escort Services are allowed listings in Places. This has been, once again, confirmed by Google. Push it as far as you must and keep resubmitting the listing until it shows.

This is the statement made by Google on a thread in the Map Makers forum in relation to escort services:

Update on Escorts and SABs (announcement is dated 16 August)

An excerpt (the forum link is to the July discussion):

We have been hearing various concerns on forum about redirecting mappers to Google Places for certain listings that are Service Area Businesses (SABs). Here are the details,

Why mappers adding Service Area Businesses are redirected to Places?

• Google Places carries out specific verification process to verify the physical location of businesses and SABs in particular.
• Google Places also gets in touch with the owner of the SAB in order to get specific details and verify them to avoid spam.
• Map Maker currently does not have this facility
• There have been higher instances of spam in SABs
• Its advisable for mappers adding SABs, to add them through Google Places to ensure correct business verification

So it is not Google's fault, except in that they were of no assistance to anyone that suffered a deleted listing. Apparently enough of you complained and they have made the policy clear. Do not allow these renegade Map Makers to get away with deleting your listings. Let's repair Places. Just make sure that you follow the Google Places guidelines for Service Area Businesses (SABs).

Thanks to Debb for emailing me this information! My health is not great and I can't fight the world anymore. If you care about your Places listings, push until it is reinstated.