Dude, this is fucking crazy. I flipped on the TV and the story below is all over the morning news.

Article taken from NBC5.com

http://www.nbc5.com/news/6227104/detail.html

Local Dentist Charged In Prostitution Ring
Charges Brought As Part Of National Investigation

POSTED: 8:37 pm CST January 18, 2006
UPDATED: 6:48 am CST January 19, 2006

CHICAGO -- A Chicago dentist was indicted Wednesday on charges of providing condominiums in a downtown high-rise and a fleet of luxury cars for an interstate prostitution ring.

Gary S. Kimmel, 56, was accused of accepting $405,000 from two pimps to purchase, finance, insure and maintain 11 cars, including a 2004 Corvette, a 2005 Lexus and a 2005 Mercedes-Benz.

Prosecutors said the charges against Kimmel were brought as part of a national investigation dubbed "Innocence Lost," which resulted in charges last month in Michigan and Hawaii.

Prosecutors said Kimmel had not yet retained a lawyer. He did not respond to messages left on his answering machine and sent to his emergency pager.

The indictment said Kimmel accepted $375,000 from March 2002 through November 2005 from a group of prostitutes and Robert Lewis Young, who was indicted last month in Michigan and Hawaii.

It said Young, also known as "Blue Diamond," recruited women and underage girls to work as prostitutes in Chicago, Detroit and Honolulu.

The indictment asked a federal court to order forfeiture of gold, silver, copper and platinum coins as well as nine condominiums that Kimmel and his wife own at Marina City, a prominent landmark on the Chicago River just north of the Loop.

Prosecutors said Kimmel also lives at Marina City, known for its two 60-story towers that resemble corncobs.

According to the indictment, Kimmel also accepted $30,000 between May 2002 and November 2004 from another alleged pimp, identified only as Individual A, and prostitutes working for him. It said that in return Kimmel bought, financed and maintained a vehicle they used.

In addition, the indictment said Kimmel accepted payments from Young and others involved in the ring in return for dental work he performed on Young and two other alleged pimps as well as prostitutes who were working for them.

According to an FBI affidavit filed with the indictment, a number of phone conversations between Kimmel and another individual involved were intercepted with court-authorized wiretaps.

In addition to money laundering, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine, Kimmel is charged with interstate transportation of the proceeds of a crime, which carries a maximum of five years and a $250,000 fine.

If convicted, though, a court could impose substantially lighter terms under federal sentencing guidelines.

Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Why is this news so freaky? Well, first of all, it�s the location of my former (and possibly again future) bachelor pad, the Chicago landmark Marina Towers. You may have seen it in Chicago skyline pictures. It�s the twin buildings that look like a pair of corncobs that has become popular in recent years because of the nearby House of Blues and the House of Blues Hotel.

I�m not sure exactly what depth of his involvement was in this prostitution ring, but according to the article he allegedly was the "dental plan" for all those pimps and hos and also was allegedly involved in processing vehicles used for pimping. Allegedly there was also actual prostituting from this ring in the units he owned I used to live in. *sings: there's some ho's in this house* It�s interesting to say the least.

He was also a long standing board member of the Marina Condominium Association. I could have sworn he might have been the President or VP of the board as well so I�d see him around the common areas of the condo from time to time when I lived there. It�s not only that, he also happens to be the former associate of Ray�s (my late cousin�s) mom who is also a dentist. They were in a partnership of sorts, but she supposedly caught and had accused him of embezzling money and patients from the practice so their business partnership and friendship was eventually dissolved.

While he was in contact with the family, we actually visited his sister-in-law and her family for a party. They were living presumably in one of the condo units he owns. Dr. Kimmel, his wife and their kids were also present. At the time which was maybe 3 years ago, he was overseeing construction of his main unit. Apparently he adjoined several smaller units into on big unit where he was planning to live in.

Seriously though, how much cash, goods and property does a guy need? He already has a dental practice, a cute trophy Filipina wife, several prime downtown condo units, kids and probably more than one nice car. What more could a guy want? I hate to sound superficial, but if you click over to the article, he isn�t the most handsome of guys and that�s grossly understating the issue. Perhaps he craved all that wealth for the power and prestige that comes along with it. Perhaps he did it compensate for his lack of handsomeness, who knows?

Still, sometimes I have to wonder, how much of my own life is lacking, not necessarily in terms of wealth, but in terms of actually living life? I have to wonder about people who horde their money in some bank account and keep slaving away at their jobs they don�t really care for to accumulate more wealth, but never actually enjoy any of it. Then you look at this rotund old(er) guy who most people would never think twice about at least in any sexual way and he may very well be living the pimp lifestyle. I mean if I were him, knowing I�d never get laid otherwise, I�d be tapping some of those succulent young hoes working under me, I mean what are they going to do, charge me with sexual harassment? =p Setting up the �pimp lifestyle� would of course take some skill in the �wheeling and dealing� department a skill I�m considerably lacking in. Oh well, I do hope they let the big guy (if he�s convicted) off easy, he is after all just living the �American Dream� isn�t he?

Personally, I don�t see anything wrong with prostitution within itself. I know there are moral, health and sociological implications which I am artfully going to dodge for now, but in its essence, prostitution is an agreement and/or transaction between two consenting adults one with money and the other who is willing and able to perform a sexual service.

Although pride prevents me from actually paying for such sexual services, I could easily see how that resolve would break if 20 or 30 years down the road when my looks have deteriorated and I am STILL single and all I have is my lonely self, a prescription for Viagra and a crapload of money. The only thing separating a horny young man and a dirty old man is time. The outlook may be bleak but it is screaming the truth.

I guess the larger issue is the fact that there were underage girls involved. I know that in the �grand� sense there�s not much difference between a 17 and 18 year old and in the end age is just some arbitrary number, but if you start trafficking 17 year old (and presumably younger) girls across 3 states for the purposes of prostitution, don�t you think the FBI may be interested in shutting your ass down and throwing your ass in jail? Maybe he could plead temporary insanity, because that�s all pussy is going to do to a guy anyway, it just makes us fucking crazy. Why do you think all those �enlightened� Buddhist monks take a vow of celibacy? It�s because thoughts of sex occupies way too much of our minds. Eliminate that want and need and suddenly you have all this energy to do other stuff like meditate until this blinding aura surrounds you, levitate in the air, walk on the surface of water and break concrete blocks with just your willpower, dodge bullets and what not. I�m probably confusing Buddhist monks with something else like kung fu or a yoga master, but it doesn�t really matter, the point is that guys and even some girls go crazy over sex.

Anyway, I�m just babbling at this point but it will be interesting to see what happens from here. For now, however it�s time to break for lunch�