May 1 (Bloomberg) -- The man accused of running the Emperors Club VIP, a prostitution ring at the center of a probe tied to the resignation of New York Governor Eliot Spitzer, is nearing a deal to plead guilty, his lawyer said.
Mark Brener is one of four people facing federal felony charges for organizing and managing the call-girl operation. Spitzer was a client of the ring, according to a law enforcement official familiar with the case. Spitzer, who quit last month, hasn't been charged with a crime or admitted wrongdoing.
``We're getting pretty close'' to a deal, Brener's lawyer, Murray Richman, said yesterday in an interview, adding that his client will ``definitely not'' cooperate with a government probe.
In Manhattan federal court yesterday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Telemachus Kasulis told a judge that prosecutors intended to file a criminal information, an accusatory instrument often used in plea deals, against Brener.
In Manhattan federal court yesterday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Telemachus Kasulis told a judge that prosecutors intended to file a criminal information, an accusatory instrument often used in plea deals, against Brener.
An Information
Kasulis said prosecutors would also file a criminal information against Brener co-defendant Temeka Lewis, who is alleged to have been a booking agent for the call-girl ring. Lewis's lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, didn't immediately return a call seeking comment.
Richman said he didn't know about the government filing. He added that the parties were ``still arguing terms'' of the plea deal, which will ``probably'' include prison time. He declined to discuss the terms any further or the charges to which Brener may plead guilty.
``We won't have it for at least a week,'' he said of the plea deal, noting that he was going on vacation shortly. ``Hopefully it's going to get done.''
``We won't have it for at least a week,'' he said of the plea deal, noting that he was going on vacation shortly. ``Hopefully it's going to get done.''
In a criminal complaint against Brener, Lewis and two other people linked to the ring, prosecutors said on March 6 that an unidentified person known as Client 9 paid $4,300 for sex with a New York prostitute named ``Kristen'' at a Washington hotel in February. Front companies for the club accepted payments, according to the complaint.
Client 9 is Spitzer, the law enforcement official familiar with the matter said last month. In March, Spitzer's lawyers were seeking to negotiate a settlement of possible charges including violations of the Mann Act, which makes it a crime to transport someone across state lines for prostitution, and improper structuring of financial transactions, the official said.
The case is U.S. v. Brener, 08-mj-463, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York (Manhattan).
1 comment:
This case will fade away and the people will continue their business. This was used to get Spitzer out of office only. It was the public that got sucked in and it worked. I realized just how wealthy the Spizter family is. Daddy Spitzer was one smart guy and continues to make money from his rights in music, law and architecture. Daddy Spizter will still be making big bucks when he's dead like Elvis. The poor wanna bee Republicans tried to bring him down but couldn't so they targeted his son. Now if all these Christians Moral people were to know those who had mistresses and/or hired Prostitutes well we would have no one to admire. Most of the men talking are doing the same thing and woman only jealous of those woman who are doing it. Look at Ashley's popularity. The Media tried to play like Ashley was a poor innocent girl entrapped by these bad people, only to find out Ashley was not so innocent and came from the Rich upper class family. Yes Rich girl gone bad and loving it.
I remember my Mother telling me my skirt was to short, I asked her about the photo she had while dancing many years before and her skirt was shorter then mine. Yes it pays to pay attention to detail. If God were to open the pass on most adults Ashley wouldn't be the only one.
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