Judge Rules to Unseal Spitzer Wiretap Documents
The names of his fellow Emperor's Club clients will remain protected.
February 19, 2009— -- A judge has ruled that documents detailing cell phone calls between the prostitution ring used by former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer and its clients should be unsealed, though the names of 67 apparent customers of the Emperor's Club will remain a secret.
The New York Times in December 2008 sued to unseal the documents associated with the wiretaps and search warrants for the investigation and later entered into an agreement with the government allowing prosecutors to redact the names of Spitzer's fellow clients.
U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff ruled today that the government should unseal the documents, but they were not immediately released as prosecutors can still appeal the ruling.
Spitzer resigned in March last year just 48 hours after it was revealed he paid for a prostitute, Ashlee Dupre, through the Emperors Club VIP prostitution service, where he was known as "Client #9".
Prosecutors announced in November last year that he would not face any criminal charges. Four of the operators of the Emperor's Club pleaded guilty to conspiracy and money laundering charges. No charges have been brought against any of the so-called Johns.
Earlier this month, the madam of a rival escort service came forward on ABC News 20/20 saying prosecutors showed little interest in pursuing any of the corporate titans on her client list. Kristin Davis pleaded guilty last year to charges of running a prostitution business and she provided ABC News with a copy of her client list which included Wall Street lawyers, investment bankers, CEOs, and media executives.
"Some of these guys, I was invoicing on corporate credits cards," she said. "I was writing up monthly bills for computer consulting, construction expenses, all of these things, I was invoicing them monthly so they could get it by their accountants."
A spokesperson said District Attorney Robert Morgenthau had "no comment" on the handling of Davis' case or her allegations.