Strip Club News and Press

Houston strip club sues man for not paying $320,000 tab

Oct 14, 2013 NY Daily News
A Houston strip club is suing a businessman for allegedly not paying a $320,000 tab he racked up in just one month. Big spender James Jay Beckman reportedly ran up the gigantic bill by enjoying numerous private lap dances during 14 visits to Privilege between July and August. Each time, he is said to have paid the fee using his CIT Group-issued credit card. But, the next morning, he would allegedly cancel the charges by claiming his account had been used fraudulently. Club bosses, who claim they've been left severely out of pocket by his alleged scam, have now launched legal action.

1 KILLED, 2 INJURED IN SHOOTING OUTSIDE SOUTHWEST HOUSTON STRIP CLUB

Sep 1, 2013 ABC 13 News
One person was dead and two others were in the hospital Sunday after shots rang out in front of a southwest Houston strip club. It happened around 5:30am in the 6300 block of Richmond Avenue at Unity near Hillcroft, just outside the Legends club. Police said the victims in this case appear to have been clearly targeted.

Strip Club Slash Game Room Raided in North Houston

Jun 17, 2013 Houston Press

Harris County Sheriff's Office Vice Division Shut down the Housotn Dolls Cabaret for being more than just a stripclub and game room.  According to a release from the HCSO, the raid Thursday night led to over a dozen arrests, including a Salvadoran man wanted for murder in his home country, and the confiscation of $25,000 in cash and more than 70 gambling device mother boards. Not surprisingly, there were some drug violations as well, plus the Stripper were doing much more than just lap dances.

EIGHT ARRESTED FOLLOWING RAID AT STRIP CLUB IN NORTH HOUSTON

May 16, 2013 ABC 13 News

Police arrested eight people after a raid at a strip club in north Houston. Seven women and one man were taken into custody at the XTC Erotica Cabaret along the North Freeway and Fallbrook. Police say undercover officers were conducting a standard check for illegal activities when they noticed several permit violations.

HPD RAIDS STRIP CLUB, 11 ARRESTED

Feb 2, 2013 ABC 13 News

Nearly a dozen people were arrested when the Houston Police Department raided a gentleman's club overnight. It happened around midnight at Rick's Cabaret on the north Beltway near Imperial Valley Drive. Eight women and three men were hauled out of the club in handcuffs. Officers raided the club for sexually-oriented business violations and arrested some of the people for prostitution and outstanding warrants. 

Treasures settles with county attorneys, too

Jan 29, 2013 Houston Chronicle
Club settles nuisance lawsuit with Houston city attorneys, who originally wanted the club declared a nuisance venue and force it to close for year.

Treasures under a microscope, for now

Jan 5, 2013 Houston Chronicle
Treasures becomes the most scrutinized strip club in Houston, with the City forcing then to staff an undercover official who will ensure no illegal activities happen.  

STRIP CLUB MAY BE DONATING TO POLITICAL CANDIDATES

Nov 1, 2012 ABC 13 News

A Ted Oberg investigation has uncovered questions about how a strip club may be contributing money to political candidates. Public records show lawyers who have worked for the Treasures strip club gave Republican candidates nearly $40,000 in the closing days of this campaign.

Houston Strip Club Bared to Scrutiny

Oct 15, 2012 Court House News
A strip club ran up $5,300 on a customer's American Express card for "dances that never took place," a dancer stole his watch, then guards kicked the bejeezus out of him, a man claims in court.

Strip club can continue to operate with new limits

Sep 10, 2012 Houston Chronicle
Treasures strip club can continue operating in the face of city and county allegations that it is a den of criminal activity, a judge ruled Monday, but it must beef up security, fire felons on its payroll, tape just about everything that goes on in the club and have its dancers completely cover their behinds.

County claims prostitution occurs at strip club

Sep 5, 2012 Click2Houston

The Harris County Attorney's Office is seeking a temporary injunction to stop what he calls "credit card prostitution" at Treasures, 5647 Westheimer Road.  Treasures is the largest liquor retailer in the state of Texas. Its revenues top $15 million per year, according to investigators. In the past three years, Houston police said there have been 23 prostitution arrests at the club, plus seven arrests on drug charges and another six arrests on aggravated assault charges. "They contend that it's a glamorous strip club, but we contend that it's a wide-open whore house where you can use a credit card," Assistant Harris County Attorney Terry O'Rourke said.

Houston Strip Club 'Pole Tax' Will Help Pay For Rape Kits

Jun 28, 2012 ABC News

A new $5 sin tax on strip clubs in Houston will go to help reduce the city's backlog of an estimated 4,000-6,000 rape kits that have remained untested because of limited resources. The $5 tax was promoted by City Council member Ellen Cohen and was passed in a 14-1 vote on Wednesday. The new "pole tax" is expected to generate $1-3 million in revenue for the city.

Houston strip club sues TABC to get liquor licenses

May 31, 2012 Houston Chronicle
After being denied renewals for its mixed beverage permits and blocked in April from a rehearing, The Penthouse Club filed suit against the agency this week in Harris County civil district court. The complaint alleges that the TABC has no independent or legally sufficient evidence against Penthouse but has relied on false allegations from the city of Houston, the Houston Police Department and neighboring Briargrove homeowners.

Lawsuit seeks to close Galleria-area strip club

May 16, 2012 Houston Chronicle
In a new episode of the long-running battle between sexually oriented businesses and government officials, attorneys for Harris County and the city of Houston filed a lawsuit Wednesday seeking to have the Treasures strip club declared a public nuisance and shut down.

Human trafficking, drug activity at Treasures strip club, alleged by prosecutors

May 16, 2012 Your Houston News
The city of Houston and Harris County joined forces Wednesday to file a lawsuit asking that the strip club, Treasures, be ordered closed for alleged ties to human trafficking and drug activity.

Alleged Pimp Jell-o arrested in Houston

Apr 20, 2012 Denver Post

An alleged pimp known as "Jell-O" — accused of running a prostitution ring out of Denver strip clubs — was arrested in Houston Thursday after authorities stopped a taxi cab that he and four scantily clad woman were riding in.

Tearful Treasures Dancers Ask Judge to Renew the Liquor Permit, City Asks to Put the Smackdown

Mar 29, 2012 Houston Press

Dancers from Treasures implored a state administrative judge today to renew the club's liquor permit and dismiss the city's protests. (No ruling has been issued yet.) The dancers some of whom said they were single mothers and small business owners told State Office of Administrative Hearings Judge Roshunda Pringle that their jobs at the Galleria-area booby hut have allowed them to care for their kids, pay the mortgage and go to college. They described the owners and staff as tolerant, respectful and familial. On the other hand, Houston City Attorney David Feldman and City Councilman Mike Laster described Treasures as a festering den of iniquity, replete with prostitution and human trafficking.

Michael's International Sued By EEOC For Race Discrimination

Jun 30, 2011 EEOC.Gov

According to  the EEOC’s suit, beginning at least in September 2007, the management of  Michael’s International Club prevented  African-American waitresses from working their scheduled shifts when a company  official visiting the club from corporate headquarters near Dallas.  Local Houston  managers told one of the African-American waitresses that Bert Stair, vice president  and secretary of both Michael’s and parent corporation Burch Management, did  not like African-American waitresses and dancers in his club.

Petition to Close due to violations and rampant prostitution

Jun 13, 2011 Change.org

Some person decided to start a petition to shutdown Treasures.  This was back in 2011.  His goal was to reach 1000 supporters.  So far the petition has gained 78 supporters in 4 years.  Not a very successful petition.

Adult club waitress gets $60K in Houston age bias case

Jan 14, 2011 Houston Chronicle
Two Houston adult entertainment clubs this week agreed to settle a federal age discrimination case with a former waitress who alleged younger, male managers called her "old" and said she showed symptoms of memory loss. The owners of Centerfolds and Cover Girls agreed to pay $60,000 to Mary Bassi. She was 56 when she was fired in 2006 "without provocation or explanation," according to a lawsuit the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed on Bassi's behalf.