Brian Joseph joins Dr. Sandie Morgan as they discuss how investigative journalism can reveal the hidden realities of sex trafficking in the United States.

Brian Joseph

Brian Joseph is an investigative journalist with more than 20 years of experience uncovering stories of systemic corruption, criminal enterprises, and human exploitation. His latest book, Vegas Concierge, is a riveting expose that shines a light on the darker realities of the entertainment capital of the world.

Key Points

• Investigative journalism plays a crucial role in exposing human trafficking networks and systemic corruption.


• Vegas Concierge tells the story of Angela, a survivor of sex trafficking, providing insight into the lived experiences of victims.


• Las Vegas is considered a hub for trafficking activities, often referred to as a “Mecca” within the pimp subculture.


• The tipping culture in Las Vegas casinos facilitates trafficking by allowing trafficked women to navigate and avoid detection.


• Many traffickers coerce women into the sex trade by exploiting past trauma and manipulating their self-worth.


• Women often cycle through multiple traffickers, unable to break free from the system due to a lack of alternatives.


• Female traffickers are common, yet often overlooked in discussions around human trafficking.


• Institutional complicity and economic incentives within the casino and entertainment industries perpetuate trafficking.


• Grooming, though not explicitly illegal, is a critical step in the coercion and exploitation process.


• The book emphasizes the importance of understanding the specific details of trafficking cases, rather than generalizing experiences.


• Joseph highlights the nonpartisan nature of human trafficking as a human rights issue that should be prioritized politically.


• A call to action for readers is to engage deeply with the issue, educate themselves, and push for systemic change.

Resources

• Buy Book


• VegasConciergeBook.com

Transcript

[00:00:00 ] Sandie: Welcome to the Ending Human Trafficking podcast here at Vanguard University’s Global Center for Women and Justice in Orange County, California. This is episode number 335, Investigative Journalism, a Pathway to Understanding Sex Trafficking. We’re here with. Brian Joseph. My name is Dr. Sandy Morgan, and this is the show where we empower you to study the issues, be a voice, and make a difference in ending human trafficking.

[00:00:51 ] Sandie: Brian Joseph is an investigative journalist with more than 20 years of experience uncovering stories of systemic corruption, criminal enterprises, and human exploitation. His latest book, Vegas Concierge, is a riveting expose that shines a light on the darker realities of the entertainment capital of the world.

[00:01:20 ] Sandie: Brian, welcome to our podcast.

[00:01:23 ] Brian: I’m glad to be here. Thanks for having me.

[00:01:25 ] Sandie: So you’re used to putting all of your energy into written expression. How are you enjoying being on the speaking circuit. I saw you last night at a book signing and last month at another one.

[00:01:43 ] Brian: It’s, it’s been a change. Obviously I’m feel more comfortable behind a keyboard than anywhere else, but this has been a lot of fun.

[00:01:49 ] Brian: It’s, it’s great to, you know, interact with folks that have read the book and, and it’s always a, you know, I enjoy talking with people.

[00:01:55 ] Sandie: All right. Well, we’re going to have a great conversation. I do have a keyboard here. I could let you hold. So, okay. So tell us what. What drove you to actually do more than just an investigative article, but an entire book?

[00:02:13 ] Brian: Well, I think, you know, by the time that, uh, uh, I started working specifically on, on the case that became the centerpiece of Vegas Concierge, I had already, you know, gathered quite a lot of information about domestic sex trafficking in the United States. And so, and then the, the story itself that does serve as a centerpiece of the book is such a winding tale that it, it just seemed quite, quite obvious that it would, it would most fit as a book rather than anything else.

[00:02:38 ] Brian: There was just so much material, so much of a plot that it, it would, I couldn’t imagine telling that story in any other way.

[00:02:45 ] Sandie: So let’s do, it’s really hard because this, I don’t remember how many pages it is, but can you give us, in a nutshell, the theme and your agenda as you processed how to put this story together?

[00:03:03 ] Brian: Well, uh, Vegas concierge uses a, uh, The tale of a years long investigation into sex trafficking in Las Vegas is a narrative vehicle to explore how American society fails victims and survivors of sex trafficking. It was a project that required a lot of sensitivity and required a lot of work to get it put together in such a way that it was, I felt that it could be beneficial and impactful to the larger society.

[00:03:30 ] Brian: And, uh, it was something that required a lot of, uh,

[00:03:40 ] Sandie: So one of the things, and it’s not a spoiler alert for our listeners, but one of the conclusions towards the end of Brian’s book is a great place to start as we explore more. In this story, he says, this is modern day slavery, a nonpartisan human rights issue. If there ever was one and it’s time it’s eradication becomes a part of the American political agenda.

[00:04:15 ] Sandie: And Brian. I am totally in sync with that. I have served in so many capacities and I am constantly bringing back to the table that this is nonpartisan. So as a disclaimer, before we start our conversation, cause we may not always agree, we are both committed. to the human dignity of our survivors and victims that are out there that we have not recovered.

[00:04:44 ] Sandie: Absolutely. So, okay. So, we’ll dive in. My first big question now is in your very unsettling story, what Initially inspired you to make Las Vegas the focal point.

[00:05:04 ] Brian: Well, that’s, that happened to be where I was, where I was based and where I began my investigation of domestic sex trafficking. So, to some degree, it was just, you know, where I happened to be.

[00:05:16 ] Brian: Now, on a more, on a grander scale, Vegas, as I understand it, is considered by, by many people in the, uh, the pimp prostitution subculture to be sort of the, the Mecca of, of that, of that community. And so it made sense to me to center the book on, in Vegas because it is such a, a nexus for this sort of activity.

[00:05:35 ] Sandie: I have to agree totally with that. I was shocked when I first came back from living overseas and got involved in understanding what sex trafficking looks like here in America, and discovered a pimp conference. In Las Vegas, they get together and they study and share notes and say, Oh, this works, but this doesn’t.

[00:06:00 ] Sandie: They collaborate in sharing knowledge, which honestly, one of the reasons I love doing this podcast is it’s an easy way to share what we’ve learned with others and connect it. our knowledge and insight. So give us a rundown on your top characters in this narrative.

[00:06:24 ] Brian: Well, I would use the word subjects because they are, they are, they are real people.

[00:06:27 ] Brian: Obviously, the, the primary subject of the book is Angela. She’s a survivor and we, we follow her through the course of her life and her experiences in the pimp prostitute subculture and as, as being trafficked. Another main subject is Don. He is a retired vice sergeant from Las Vegas who has a. Deep heart for these victims and survivors and was very disturbed to see how certain issues played out in the community.

[00:06:50 ] Brian: The primary trafficker in the book is a, uh, a hip hop music producer by the name of Molly mall. Uh, and then there’s a number of, of other people, other traffickers, other smaller characters that are, are subjects I should say that are, that are, that were victimized. And then there are just another collection of, of, of police and judicial figures in the book as well.

[00:07:10 ] Sandie: So one of the themes that was kind of new knowledge for me, I mean I supposed that there was a lot of connection with the hospitality industry in Vegas, but that’s an area that you established direct to. connections. Can you expand on how that helps us understand ways to intervene with victims, male and female, ways to begin to establish effective interventions to help them leave their victimization?

[00:07:56 ] Brian: Well, sure. So the book, uh, talks a lot about the interplay between victims and survivors of sex trafficking and sort of the larger casino industrial complex of Las Vegas. Uh, you see in the book, women who are being trafficked, who have to interact with people like taxi cab drivers or valets or security guards.

[00:08:16 ] Brian: And you see how, uh, The tipping culture of Vegas allows them to essentially work their way through the massive facilities that are casinos in Las Vegas.

[00:08:28 ] Sandie: Wait a minute. Wait a minute. This, this is a new New way of thinking the tipping culture is involved in human trafficking.

[00:08:37 ] B