Moira Penza

In a lot of sex trafficking prosecutions we've seen recently against high-profile individuals, we're not talking about an actual exchange of sex for money as one might traditionally think about sex trafficking. For example, in the Harvey Weinstein cases, you're talking about an exchange of sex for a position in the entertainment industry.

That's really what you're thinking about in terms of thing of value. Here, this is a somewhat unique case in terms of recent sex trafficking prosecutions in that we actually have participants in the Sex Act. We have the escorts who actually are being paid. Then you need the force, fraud, or coercion. And there, I think the government's laid out a very clear case as well.

That's really what you're thinking about in terms of thing of value. Here, this is a somewhat unique case in terms of recent sex trafficking prosecutions in that we actually have participants in the Sex Act. We have the escorts who actually are being paid. Then you need the force, fraud, or coercion. And there, I think the government's laid out a very clear case as well.

We have incident after incident of physical violence against Ms. Ventura surrounding these freak-offs. We also have strong evidence of coercion. So where you have an individual who is... in a dynamic with an abuser where that abuser really has control over every aspect of her life.

We have incident after incident of physical violence against Ms. Ventura surrounding these freak-offs. We also have strong evidence of coercion. So where you have an individual who is... in a dynamic with an abuser where that abuser really has control over every aspect of her life.

So her career all the way down to what color she's painting her fingernails, that's going to take away an individual's agency. And so in that situation, it is much easier easier for somebody who intends to hurt somebody to do so. We also have the government introducing evidence of the threats against Ms. Ventura that the tapes of the freak-offs would be used if she were to leave him.

So her career all the way down to what color she's painting her fingernails, that's going to take away an individual's agency. And so in that situation, it is much easier easier for somebody who intends to hurt somebody to do so. We also have the government introducing evidence of the threats against Ms. Ventura that the tapes of the freak-offs would be used if she were to leave him.

And so that's another really strong piece of evidence that we see as to the sex trafficking elements.

And so that's another really strong piece of evidence that we see as to the sex trafficking elements.

Absolutely. So racketeering laws do prosecute criminal organizations. That's absolutely true. And that's what the government is saying here. The government is saying that Sean Combs was able to operate the way that he did because he was in fact part of a criminal organization. that there were other individuals who helped facilitate the crimes that he is charged with.

Absolutely. So racketeering laws do prosecute criminal organizations. That's absolutely true. And that's what the government is saying here. The government is saying that Sean Combs was able to operate the way that he did because he was in fact part of a criminal organization. that there were other individuals who helped facilitate the crimes that he is charged with.

And that expansion of the racketeering laws to prosecute crimes other than mob cases has been going on for a long time. So in the Eastern District of New York, you had the prosecution of soccer corruption under the racketeering laws. We've seen various opioid cases that are brought under the racketeering laws.

And that expansion of the racketeering laws to prosecute crimes other than mob cases has been going on for a long time. So in the Eastern District of New York, you had the prosecution of soccer corruption under the racketeering laws. We've seen various opioid cases that are brought under the racketeering laws.

And in fact, I used the racketeering statute when I prosecuted Keith Raniere, who was the head of the NXIVM, what's colloquially called a sex cult. But there— My argument was, in fact, that Keith Raniere was running a criminal organization. He wasn't a cult leader. He was a crime boss. And that's really what you hear the government doing in this case as well.

And in fact, I used the racketeering statute when I prosecuted Keith Raniere, who was the head of the NXIVM, what's colloquially called a sex cult. But there— My argument was, in fact, that Keith Raniere was running a criminal organization. He wasn't a cult leader. He was a crime boss. And that's really what you hear the government doing in this case as well.

And that's why we're getting testimony from assistants, other people in his entourage, other people who were employed by him, who saw what was happening and helped facilitate it, including by covering up his crimes.

And that's why we're getting testimony from assistants, other people in his entourage, other people who were employed by him, who saw what was happening and helped facilitate it, including by covering up his crimes.

Yes. So when the government is charging racketeering, they can say that an organization is entirely criminal or they can say that there is an association of individuals who together are committing crimes. And sometimes... an organization or the way that somebody is operating their businesses can help facilitate crimes.

Yes. So when the government is charging racketeering, they can say that an organization is entirely criminal or they can say that there is an association of individuals who together are committing crimes. And sometimes... an organization or the way that somebody is operating their businesses can help facilitate crimes.

So again, similarly in the case that I prosecuted, even though we talk about it as the NXIVM case, I did not charge NXIVM as a criminal organization. I charged Keith Raniere and his associates together as a criminal organization who were using NXIVM classes, the individuals who were taking NXIVM courses. to commit these crimes, sometimes as participants in the crime, sometimes as victims.