Federal investigations have a way of making public officials nervous.
That’s been true in Chicago, especially since the feds revealed a series of ongoing public corruption investigations. But it turns out another case at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse could have a similar effect — a prosecution involving an alleged high-end brothel.
Jessica Nesbitt, also known as Madame Priscilla Belle, faces a 13-count indictment revolving around her former West Side business, Kink Extraordinaires. And though her lawyers have made clear she established a large clientele, they went further in a court filing late Wednesday.
Lawyer Adam Sheppard wrote in the filing that, “many of Ms. Nesbitt’s former clients hold positions of prestige in the community, including in law enforcement and government.”
Reached Thursday by the Chicago Sun-Times, Sheppard declined to expand on the intriguing comment, citing an order that restricts the release of information about the case. Still, the disclosure is sure to increase interest in the prosecution of Nesbitt, who maintains she ran a legal business and paid her taxes.
In the same nine-page filing, Sheppard also wrote that the case involves no minors. “There is no allegation that Ms. Nesbitt defrauded anybody. Nor is there any allegation that anyone engaged in any nonconsensual conduct,” the filing said.
A status hearing in the case is set for next week. The indictment filed against Nesbitt alleges prostitution and financial crimes.
In his filing, Sheppard asked U.S. District Judge Robert Dow to reconsider a ruling that required Nesbitt to give the names of former employees and clients she’d like to contact to prosecutors. He wrote that Nesbitt has about 9,000 former clients and hundreds of former employees.
“Many of Ms. Nesbitt’s former clients hold positions of prestige in the community, including in law enforcement and government,” Sheppard wrote. “Given the discreet nature of the topic at hand, many have expressed their reluctance to speak to anybody but Ms. Nesbitt, directly.”
Sheppard wrote that many of her former clients and employees are her friends, and they are also “leaders in industry, government, and law, who have offered Ms. Nesbitt future employment opportunities.”
“Sometimes they were friends first, who came to the business, and sometimes friendships developed,” Sheppard told the Sun-Times.
Kink Extraordinaires has been described as “the premier Dungeon of Chicago.” Its website said it offered “beautiful, psychologically sophisticated Kinksters” who “play out of a private five-floor dungeon with multiple, fully equipped themed rooms.” The business, officially known as Selective Management Enterprises, Inc., was based in the 2400 block of West Augusta.
