Portland, Oregon from www.kptv.com - Several Portland strip clubs and the family who owns them all are in trouble with the law.
According to the Portland Tribune, the Desmarais family is under investigation for money laundering and using their strip clubs to sell sex.
According to court documents, 21 clubs, sex shops or video stores owned by the Desmarais family is being investigated.
Federal authorities were focusing on Kandace Desmarais, her brothers, Craig and Gilbert and their mother Margery Owen-Savage.
According to the federal court affidavit, last year the Internal Revenue Service seized nearly $850,000 from several of the family's homes and offices.
It was a family business that government officials were calling a well-organized money laundering system.
Officials say some of the money was coming from prostitution.
Court records show one informant told authorities she could make up to $800 a night in prostitution.
"I heard there was sex activities and drugs. That's not supposed to be going on, there's not supposed to be any type of touching activity at all," said Amanda Wright, who says her cousin used to work at one of the Desmarais' clubs.
Court records also show during 2002 and 2009 about $12 million flowed through all the ATM's at all the Desmarais' clubs.
It's money officials say was used for those private dances and room rentals used for prostitution.
You can read more about this story in Thursday's Portland Tribune.
