Craigslist Prostitution Sting Suggests Illegal Sex Trade Still Rampant (VIDEO)

UPDATED
A year after investigating prostitution via Craigslist, MSNBC has gone undercover to once again probe the illegal sex trade on Craigslist and see what the site has done to "clean up its act" since last May.

The report found that prostitution on Craigslist was still prominent, even after the site had promised to crack down.

MSNBC's Jeff Rossen rented a hotel room in New York City, then contacted individuals who had posted ads on Craigslist's "Adult Services" section.

Once the escort arrived at the hotel, "within seconds, it was clear this was all about sex," Rossen reports.

Connecticut attorney general Richard Blumenthal compares the sex trade on Craigslist to "an online red light district" that's "as obvious and plain to you as Times Square was in the 70s or 80s."

Sex ads are reportedly big business for Craigslist, and comprise around 30 percent of the site's total revenues.

Watch the MSNBC investigation in the video below.
--
UPDATED 5/5/2010 8:32 AM ET: Craigslist faces a prostitution investigation over its adult services section.

PC World writes,

Connecticut's attorney general on Monday issued a subpoena to Craigslist, asking the site to turn over evidence that it is fulfilling its promise to get rid of ads for prostitution and other illegal activity, as well as data on what it earns from adult ads.

Craigslist dismissed the subpoena as an unnecessary political maneuver.

--

WATCH:

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Comments

[sciencefundie]

11:36 PM on 05/08/2010

Oldest profession using new media...if they bust up CL over this people will just use something else.

[Noah Carter]

08:49 AM on 05/07/2010

did he say "supposably"??

[AtomicallyCorrect]

11:29 PM on 05/06/2010

Legalize it!

[OC4Obama4Pres]

06:25 PM on 05/06/2010

Free Market!!!

[Uncle Bill]

04:56 PM on 05/06/2010

Exploiting sex for money is wrong, unless you are flogging the ratings for your am news show, great topic to show while the kiddies are eating their cereal and getting ready for school at 730 AM.
DISCLAIMER- I am not calling on the government to censor anything, fine anyone, not organizing a boycott of NBC or Craigslist- just tired of the prurient yet puritanical hypocrisy.

[ThatsTheTheWayItIs]

11:02 AM on 05/06/2010

Would you rather they are out on the streets, under control of pimps?
If not for the Internet, there would still be streetwalkers in Times Square.

[Catothemuchyounger]

01:00 PM on 05/08/2010

I agree but they should change the law.

[sue11]

09:40 AM on 05/10/2010

Change the law and I guess you are supporting the millions and millions of faces of missing and exploited childred all over the world! Children and young adults both male and female, preditors do not care so long as they can sell human traffic in this country you have just proven what is happening to the those who are exploited, murdered, and kidnapped. You are a enabler. Change the law! That is right! Enforce more education on what is going on in our country, find our children, and let individuals like you who do not care be more punishable!

[joycejones]

02:47 PM on 05/13/2010

The pimps are on craigslist, and many are recruiting kids.

Listen to this segment from the 5/13 "Tell Me More" show
on NPR:
http://www.npr.org/templates/rundowns/rundown.php?prgId=46
(Human Trafficking A Problem Within U.S. Borders)

[traumabob]

10:01 AM on 05/06/2010

I'm shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!

[thecesar]

09:33 AM on 05/06/2010

One time, I went to meet this girl and when she saw me with 50 roses she slammed the door in my face :(

[gx5000]

09:29 AM on 05/06/2010

"The main reason for the deterioration of modern faith is not its sins of commission, but its sins of omission."

The main reason for the deterioration of modern faith is EDUCATION !

[centralprkwest]

09:20 AM on 05/06/2010

As a 10 year resident of NYC, I can tell you that dating beautiful women in NYC is tantamount to legalized prostitution. It's almost formulaic. If a beautiful blonde doesn't get her expensive cocktails followed by an agreeable meal at a highly-rated restaurant, your chances of getting any play are nil. When my friends and I were single, we alternated nights of going out and meeting women with nights at the local "upscale massage parlor" or meeting Craigslist gals and staging fake "Bachelor Parties". Those days are gone; since 2004 or so, the site is just filled with cops and gay guys trying to get pics of straight guys. In other words, stay away!!

[Blackorpheus]

09:19 AM on 05/06/2010

So what's wrong with sex?

[Budokan]

09:37 AM on 05/06/2010

It makes RepubliKans nervous because they neither understand it or participate in it much.

[jonjon358]

09:11 AM on 05/06/2010

So what. Everybody has bigger fish to fry. I consider any cop who investigates prostitution to be derelict of duty.

[Connie Markley Boppre]

08:59 AM on 05/06/2010

people gotta make money somehow...look at the unemployment rates !

[spottery2k]

08:41 AM on 05/06/2010

Prostitution is a word. What matters is the connection the word implies. Strictly speaking, prostitution is simply the impersonal trade of sex for money, but people do things all the time for money. What makes having sex for money any different? Politics is the ongoing struggle for advantage among individuals and groups, which means that just like labor and skill sex will always be a matter of quid pro quo (this for that). Will all forms of trade involving sex be made illegal? If so, then merely buying a young lady dinner and drinks could be prostitution. In fact, marriage is itself state sanctioned prostitution, which requires sex for "consummation."

[SiO2]

08:30 AM on 05/06/2010

While I understand the logic of legalizing prostitution and partly agree --- I also want to remind people that there are many involved unwillingly through human trafficking. I've never read any statistics on it, and if anyone has them available please share, but wouldn't legalizing prostitution exacerbate the problem of human trafficking?

[jonjon358]

09:12 AM on 05/06/2010

Exactly the opposite, because it would be above-board and regulated. Look at Amsterdam. Look at alcohol during and after Prohibition.

[sinpareil]

02:25 AM on 05/07/2010

There's still human trafficking in Amsterdam. Just ask those poor underaged girls hanging around Central Station in the wee hours of the morning.

[-swift]

09:17 AM on 05/06/2010

It seems to. While I used to be of the "you can have sex for free, why not be able to get paid for it", in most places where prostitution is legal, human trafficking and organized crime involvement in prostitution seem to happen. Studies also seem to suggest that few prostitutes - even ones that choose the field willingly - escape long term negative psychological effects.

[CitizenFace]

09:42 AM on 05/06/2010

Sorry, but you've offered nothing substantial there.

Fact is, "legalized prostitution" gets the government involved. In Amsterdam women are provided with dormitories and health examinations. The brothels of Nevada are heavily regulated and closely scrutinized.

Suggesting there are studies (without citing them) that show prostitution leads to long term negative psychological effects--even if true--is a complete straw man. You mean to say that working in an illegal industry in which one must be as concerned about arrest as one must about being beaten by one's boss or client is stressful? No kiddin'. Legalizing prostitution would alleviate these maladies.