INTERNET ESCORT WEBSITES RARELY POLICED

Online escort agencies like the Emperors Club are alive and thriving in South Florida, where they operate freely..

In light of the bombshell federal wiretap case that ensnared New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer — and referenced Miami escorts — a glimpse into South Florida’s lucrative online escort industry reveals it is thriving and operates without much enforcement.

”We don’t actively investigate escort services,” Broward Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Alesia Russell said. “We wouldn’t know unless there was a tip generated. Then we would check.”…

A check Tuesday of cityvibe.com and eros.com — sites where escorts and their companies post ads — showed 804 listings for female prostitutes in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties. One site advertising male escorts listed 80 South Florida providers on Tuesday.

And that’s only three websites — all types of escorts also place not-so-discreet ads in local magazines, newspapers and elsewhere on the Internet……

”When the FBI gets interested in an escort agency, it is because of money laundering, not prostitution,” Hof said.

On a local level, authorities say it’s easier to pick up a few hookers every night along Federal Highway than to take down a booming Internet sex company……….READ FULL STORY http://www.bunnyranch.com/news/internetescortsites/Internet%20escort%20sites%20are%20rarely%20policed%20-%2003-12-2008%20-%20MiamiHerald_com.htm