The Perks of High-End Prostitution

If a wealthy man "sees a girl and has a great time and he gives her ten grand, who cares?" Fleiss said. "It doesn't change his life, but it is a lot of money, and it makes a big difference in her life."

Fleiss said that for her customers, she honored requests that men had for different kinds of women. She once, for instance, found "gigantic, gigantic girls" for a client who preferred heavy-set women.

"It's just like when you go to a restaurant," she said. "You're paying -- you can order what you want."

Austin said that at her brothels, it's often older, more experienced women who command the higher rates.

"A woman with a little age under her belt has a lot more patience," Austin said. "She's more versed in the business. The young girl a lot of times just starting out doesn't have all the necessary tools. That comes with age, and it comes with practice. It's like taking a rookie baseball player versus a seasoned baseball player, if you know what I mean."

What else are patrons paying for? Though Spitzer's very public outing and other high-profile cases may indicate otherwise, discretion is also considered a key benefit of high-priced prostitution operations.

Fleiss, who served time in jail following her 1995 convictions, refused to release her clients' names during court proceedings. Austin said she would go to jail before disclosing her clients' identities.

At Austin's businesses and other legal Nevada brothels, customers benefit from a state law requiring prostitutes to undergo weekly health screenings.

Fleiss said that even at illegal operations, high-earning prostitutes tend to be healthy because they can afford to eat right and have regular medical checkups. For call girls, staying healthy is also important to maintaining their looks and their earning prowess, she said.

"You're going to do your best to look your best and make the most money," she said.

But the glamorous side of high-end prostitution operations and escort services -- beautiful women and big bucks -- pale when compared with the risks, said Tracy Quan, a former prostitute and author whose experiences inspired her novel "Diary of a Married Call Girl."