Seven charged with using Craigslist to run prostitution ring

Seven people were indicted this week on charges that they were operating a prostitution ring that advertised exclusively on Craigslist. The indictments are the latest in a series of blows to the Craigslist classified advertising Web site.

New York Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo announced the takedown of the alleged prostitution ring, called Room Service Entertainment, yesterday. According to Cuomo, the business was run from the Queens borough of New York City and advertised exclusively in the Erotic Services section of Craigslist.

The business was co-owned and operated by Scott "Sal" Rosenberg, 45, and Josef Davenport, 31, said Cuomo. The company's manager and booker, Patricia "Nikki" Krupa, 32, and four other bookers associated with the operation also were also charged in the 47 count indictment unsealed yesterday in Queens County Court. The charges against the seven include enterprise corruption, conspiracy and money laundering, according to Cuomo's office.

"Until Craigslist gets serious about putting real protections in place, it will continue to be an environment where criminal operations thrive with impunity," Cuomo said in a statement. "Even after the so-called reform of the Web site last fall, this prostitution ring easily gamed the system and allegedly used Craigslist to spread its illegal operation throughout all five boroughs and beyond. Today's arrests underscore the inherent risks posed by Craigslist and, most importantly, the need for protections that are full-fledged, not half-baked."

The indictments come amid legal wrangling and verbose public back and forth between executives of Craigslist and various state attorneys general, who have been pushing the site to eliminate its racy advertisements. Earlier this month Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal called Craigslist an "online brothel" while South Carolina Attorney General Henry McMaster threatened a criminal investigation and possible prosecution if the site doesn't clean up its act.

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