WASHINGTON, April 15 (Xinhua) -- A woman, who was
charged with running a prostitute ring serving many high-ranked officials, was
convicted by a federal court on Tuesday.
According to the verdict by the U.S. District Court
for the District of Columbia, Deborah Jeane Palfrey, known as D.C. Madam, was
found guilty on all account: Money laundering, using the mail for illegal
purposes and racketeering.
The 52-year-old procuress has been distancing her
escort services company from any dirty deal, saying she was not aware even if
any of her girls engaged in sex acts for money.
However, three clients of Pamela Martin and
Associates, Palfrey's defunct company to cover her prostitute services, told a
different story of the so-called escort service during the trial on the weekend.
Prosecutors insisted that Palfrey's company was also
open to provide sex services to its clients by allowing them to have 90 minutes
with a woman at the price of 250 U.S. dollars.
Palfrey attained a criminal justice degree in college
but was ended up as a cocktail waitress in California. Later on, she became
involved in the escort services and was arrested several times for the
prostitution charge.
According to the court papers, Palfrey has earned
about 2 million dollars from her own company in 13 years of operation before she
was seized in October, 2006.
The news that she was netted dropped a bomb in the
capital since many political and military elites were proved or suspected of
patronizing her company.
David Vitter, a Republican Senator, has acknowledged
being involved in Palfrey's escort service and made a public apology for his
"very serious sin."
The inventor of the concept of "shock and awe" for
the U.S. attacks against Iraq in March, 2003, Harlan Ullman, was also called by
Palfrey as a frequent client.
Palfrey is due to be sentenced on July
24.