A pair of former dancers at New York City’s Sapphire Gentlemen’s Club have accused the nightclub’s leadership of creating a toxic work environment, essentially forcing employees into prostitution. “Sapphire dancers were coerced into servicing patrons, with any sexual act a customer desired, for a price,” states the lawsuit, filed in Manhattan Supreme Court on behalf of Margaret O’Sullivan and Stephanie Krauel and first reported by the New York Daily News. “And because greed inevitably leads to more deplorable behavior, the prostitution ring defendants created was a catalyst for a vast array of other unlawful acts.” The filing states that the club was rife with “cocaine and condoms”—creating an alleged atmosphere where assault, underage drinking, and the use of illegal substances were readily tolerated. A dancer might pull in $2,000 on a good night at Sapphire, according to court documents, but if any of them complained or spoke out, they could count on their earnings dwindling to a few hundred dollars at most. The suit seeks class action status and millions in damages.
