ALBANY, N.Y. -- New York state attorney general Eliot Spitzer sued
the operators of Big Apple Oriental Tours, a travel agency
operating in private residences in Queens and Poughkeepsie, N.Y.,
alleging it operates "sex tours" of Southeast Asia, which include
negotiating fees for prostitution.
The suit, filed in New York State Supreme Court-Dutchess County,
charged that the company "promotes prostitution" and seeks to close
the business and impose financial penalties and collect legal
costs. It followed a restraining order issued July 29 that
prohibited the agency from advertising sex tours in
publications.
The attorney general's office said that its filing of a civil
suit "in no way precludes us from filing criminal charges."
According to Spitzer, "The company purports to be a traditional
travel agency, but through its actions promotes prostitution and
the abuse of young women."
A spokesman for the attorney general said, "We have a telephone
book-size brief complete with exhibits and transcripts. These were
not the kind of tours where people are going to visit historic
sites. The brochures were extremely explicit."
A state investigator posing as a prospective client recorded a
series of conversations in which company officials discussed the
offerings "in graphic detail," according to the attorney general's
office.
The suit names Douglas Allen of Poughkeepsie and Norman Barabash
of Queens as the agency owners. According to the suit, the
company's tour guides took customers to nightclubs in the
Philippines, Thailand and Cambodia and negotiated fees with
prostitutes for sexual acts.
Equality Now, an international human rights organization that
focuses on protecting the rights of women and girls, tipped off the
attorney general's office to the activities of Big Apple Oriental
Tours. The organization has been gathering information on the
operation since 1996.
According to Equality Now, Big Apple Oriental Tours advertised a
12-day trip to the Philippines for $2,500, which included the
option of selecting a "companion" upon arrival at Angeles City. The
brochure said, "you may select a different companion at any time
during your stay."
In 2000, U.S. Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) tried to get the
Queens, N.Y., district attorney to go after Big Apple, but the
district attorney dropped the investigation without charges because
the alleged illegal activity was taking place outside the D.A.'s
jurisdiction.
But according to the state attorney general's spokesman, "New
York State law empowers the attorney general to seek closure of
businesses engaged in repeated illegal activity. This business
facilitated prostitution, which is illegal in New York State."
The Philippine Consulate in New York issued a statement saying
it will cooperate with the prosecution of the case.
Allen, an owner of Big Apple Oriental Tours, told
TravelWeekly.com that he cannot comment on litigation, but he did
say that "first- and fifth-amendment issues are being trampled for
political gain" and that the lawsuit "was enjoined to benefit one
special interest group..."
To contact reporter David Cogswell, send e-mail to [email protected].