Attorneys Say Zumba Instructor’s Client List Will ‘Destroy Reputations’
Published at
iStockphoto/Thinkstock(KENNEBUNK, Maine) — Defense attorneys representing some of the more than 100 alleged clients of Alexis Wright, who is accused of running a prostitution ring out of her Maine dance studio, have asked a judge to block the release of their names.
Stephen Schwartz, an attorney for the alleged clients, said on Thursday that releasing their names would harm the character of a number of the accused, which supposedly includes 100 to 150 prominent politicians, attorneys and others.
“Releasing the list has the power to really destroy reputations,” Schwartz said.
Wright, 29, a Zumba dance instructor in Kennebunk, Maine, refused to answer questions outside of court Tuesday after pleading not guilty to 106 counts, including prostitution and invasion of privacy.
As many as 45 men on the list have already been summoned. Police say that Mark Strong, 57, was in charge of booking Wright’s alleged clients.
Strong’s lawyer, Daniel Lilley, admits that there is a list, but says his client had nothing to do with it.
“I’m told that there are police officers and firemen and accountants and TV personalities and lawyers,” Lilley said. “It runs the gamut of Americana, I guess.”
Bee Nguyen, the landlord for Wright’s studio, called police after hearing unusual sounds coming from her office and seeing strange men come and go, according to court documents.
“I thought she was a little, not risqué, but a little flirtatious at times with a couple of the male participants in the class,” Kennebunk resident Allison Ackley said.
Some men allegedly paid large sums of money for Wright’s services.
“There’s a separate list with names and certain codes that would seem to reflect sexual acts and amounts,” Lilley said. “One case, I think the amount was $1,500.”
Prosecutors say Wright recorded some of her encounters with the men, and say they have 100 hours of video evidence, which many people fear could ruin lives.
Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio