South Beach 'B-Girls' admit guilt in booze scam

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_south_beach_b_girl_scam

By CURT ANDERSON, AP Legal Affairs Writer – Wed Jun 8, 4:08 pm ET

MIAMI – Two Eastern European women employed as so-called "B-Girls" in an alleged scam to fleece male tourists in South Beach pleaded guilty Wednesday to immigration fraud charges and agreed to testify against the others involved.

Anastassia Mikrukova, 24, of Estonia and 23-year-old Agnese Rudaka of Latvia became the first of 17 people charged in the case to plead guilty.

They face a maximum of five years in prison when they are sentenced Aug. 31, but because of their early pleas and agreements to cooperate they will likely get less than a year.

The two appeared in court Wednesday wearing shackles and baggy beige prison garb, each wearing their hair in a tight ponytail braid. They spoke in Russian with the help of an interpreter only to answer questions from U.S. District Judge Jose E. Martinez.

Federal prosecutors say the two women were part of a group of "B-Girls" — short for "Bar Girls" — imported from Russia and Eastern Europe who prowled legitimate South Beach nightclubs looking for wealthy male tourists. The men were invited to supposedly exclusive clubs and plied with liquor and champagne for which they were charged exorbitant amounts — in some cases, tens of thousands of dollars.

The clubs, with names like Caviar Bar, Steel Toast and Tangia Club, existed only for the scam, investigators said.

Prosecutors have identified at least 88 victims. Many got so drunk they didn't realize how much had been charged on their credit cards until much later, according to the FBI. The "B-Girls" generally got to keep 20 percent of what they extracted from their victims.

Mikrukova and Rudaka both pleaded guilty to falsifying documentation that allowed them to travel to the U.S. without a visa. Under this program that affects 36 countries, travelers must come to the U.S. only for tourism and for no more than 90 days.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Gregorie said both women lied about that. Mikrukova, he said, claimed she would be staying at a Miami Beach resort but was actually put up in an apartment by the operators of the scam. Rudaka also gave a false address and both women answered "no" to questions about whether they intended to work in the U.S.

The two had faced a number of other fraud charges, but those will be dismissed under their plea agreements. They also will be required to stay in the U.S. if they are released from prison before they testify.

Trial for the remaining suspects is currently set for October. One of the alleged leaders of the scheme, 44-year-old Alec Simchuk, fled the country before he was arrested and remains at large.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Why wouldn't they use American girls for this?

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Why wouldn't they use American girls for this?

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

Why wouldn't they use American girls for this?

Illegal immigrants are cheaper

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Illegal immigrants are cheaper

You think that is the reason?

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

You think that is the reason?

Yes I do. It's not like there's a shortage of beautiful women in Miami.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Yes I do. It's not like there's a shortage of beautiful women in Miami.

Sleep well. Be happy.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Yes I do. It's not like there's a shortage of beautiful women in Miami.

tbh it's Russian mafia. Cold, ruthless, and anything for a dime. A lot of RUB gals fit that mode to a "T".

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

All the major modeling (Elite, Ford) and talent agencies have offices there. It's not a secret.

I would have expected someone au fait with the modeling world to know this.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

All the major modeling (Elite, Ford) and talent agencies have offices there. It's not a secret.

I would have expected someone au fait with the modeling world to know this.

RUB country's such as Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus make up the largest proportion of models. It's not even close with Brazil being a distant second. Followed by the US, Holland, Poland, Estonia, etc... in somewhat of that order.

Edited June 11, 2011 by Why_Me

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

All the major modeling (Elite, Ford) and talent agencies have offices there. It's not a secret.

I would have expected someone au fait with the modeling world to know this.

Sounds like you're convinced.

Do you think the clubs should hire beautiful American women and pay them more? Or maybe hire ugly American women and pay them less but give them equal opportunity? OR hire illegals cheaply but from other countries? (are there any illegals from other countries in Florida?)

What would be your suggestion? Obviously there are some jobs to be filled.

Edited June 11, 2011 by Gary and Alla

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Sounds like you're convinced.

Do you think the clubs should hire beautiful American women and pay them more? Or maybe hire ugly American women and pay them less but give them equal opportunity? OR hire illegals cheaply but from other countries? (are there any illegals from other countries in Florida?)

What would be your suggestion? Obviously there are some jobs to be filled.

A lot of the hotels in Florida...especially the high end ones like down near the Key's use Eastern European chicks for labor for the fact they don't have to pay them min. wage. These gals are your typical hot looking RUB chicks and they work the hotel patrons for what they can get. I have a few friends from work that fly down there on a regular basis during the summer months just so they can get a taste of RUB love.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

RUB country's such as Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus make up the largest proportion of models. It's not even close with Brazil being a distant second. Followed by the US, Holland, Poland, Estonia, etc... in somewhat of that order.

She already knows that. But it is because they are cheap.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

A lot of the hotels in Florida...especially the high end ones like down near the Key's use Eastern European chicks for labor for the fact they don't have to pay them min. wage. These gals are your typical hot looking RUB chicks and they work the hotel patrons for what they can get. I have a few friends from work that fly down there on a regular basis during the summer months just so they can get a taste of RUB love.

I feel even more lucky now! Imagine, I can get a taste of RUB love right in my own kitchen (or other room of choice) and they have to go to Florida for it.

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

Sounds like you're convinced.

Do you think the clubs should hire beautiful American women and pay them more? Or maybe hire ugly American women and pay them less but give them equal opportunity? OR hire illegals cheaply but from other countries? (are there any illegals from other countries in Florida?)

What would be your suggestion? Obviously there are some jobs to be filled.

Sounds like you're convinced.

Do you think the clubs should hire beautiful American women and pay them more? Or maybe hire ugly American women and pay them less but give them equal opportunity? OR hire illegals cheaply but from other countries? (are there any illegals from other countries in Florida?)

What would be your suggestion? Obviously there are some jobs to be filled.

Of course I am. Unlike you and Why_Me I actually work in one of the beautiful people industries and know exactly what is on offer at the various agencies and what their national origin is.

It's so interesting that now you are the champion of the downtrodden illegal immigrant. Exploitation by their employers is okay if they are RUB!