A recent sex and human trafficking lawsuit was filed after an investigation into the accused man was initiated following online rumors and a 2019 magazine article.

Magazine Article Leads to Human Trafficking Charges in Recent Lawsuit

Ezra Marcus began to research the accusations against the father of a fellow Sarah Lawrence College alumni in June 2018, after seeing several online postings regarding rumors of extortion and sex trafficking. After more than 50 interviews and almost a year of research, he and his co-author James Walsh published a 9,000-word article called, “The Stolen Kids of Sarah Lawrence,” detailing the accusations against Lawrence Ray.

In February 2019, Ray was charged in an indictment with sex trafficking, extortion, forced labor trafficking, and money laundering. Ray, the father of a former Sarah Lawrence College student, allegedly exploited and abused multiple young men and women at Sarah Lawrence College over the course of several years, extorting approximately $1 million from his victims.

According to the indictment, Ray moved in with his daughter and her roommates at their on-campus apartment in late 2010. Here, reports the New York Times, his extortion and abuse allegedly began. The victims claim that Ray forced them to take sexually explicit photos and videos, which he seized to use as collateral in order to financially extort them. Journals and electronic devices containing this collateral were recovered from a storage unit belonging to Ray. Additionally, at least one victim claims to have been forced into prostitution. Other victims claim that Ray made them perform labor for him without pay.

The article, published by The Cut, that prompted law enforcement to look into Ray included details on the strange relationship between Ray and the college students who lived in the apartment with him and his daughter. According to the students and victims, they were often interrogated and questioned by Ray, or pressured to join in on activities where the group would interrogate one member on any and all topics. The students were also pressured into one on one sessions with Ray, who despite having no psychological training, would speak to them about potential psychological afflictions as well as probing them about childhood traumas.

Additionally, according to the article, one member of the household who was questioning his orientation claims that Ray became obsessive around proving that the student was straight. According to him, Ray instructed a female member of the household to become sexually involved with the student while Ray watched or participated, claiming that these sessions were meant to lead the student to clarity around his orientation.

Although the families and friends of the victims expressed concerns for months or years regarding the students’ relationships with Ray, it reportedly took many of the victims a long time to come to terms with the abuses they had suffered at his hands.

This recent revelation comes as the prevalence of human and sex trafficking is being investigated across the nation, including truck stops and hotels.

If you or a loved one has been a victim of human trafficking, sex trafficking, or forced labor trafficking, legal help may be available to you. Hiring a qualified attorney to review your case may be the first step in determining whether you are eligible to file a class action lawsuit against your abusers in order to pursue justice, along with damages, including pain and suffering.

If you were a victim of sex trafficking and forced to work at a truck stop, hotel or motel, night club or other hotel venue, you may be eligible to move forward with a civil investigation against these businesses. This investigation involves a civil case, and is not a criminal case against you or your loved ones.

Top Class Actions is working with experienced human trafficking attorneys who will be informed and sensitive to your situation. Join the fight by filling out the short form on this page. 

Learn More