Red Roof Inn reaches settlement with victims in landmark sex trafficking case, attorney says

Lina Portman6 days ago

4 2 minutes read

Red Roof Inn on Human Trafficking

Eleven women will receive compensation following a sex trafficking trial. The victims sued Red Roof Inn, claiming the establishment was aware of prostitution and trafficking at two Atlanta establishments.

ATLANTA – After three weeks of hearings, the nation's first sex trafficking trial against a national brand has reached a settlement.

The case, led by Pat McDonough of Andersen, Tate & Carr and co-lead counsel Tiana Mykkeltvedt of Bondurant, Mixson & Elmore, involved 11 surviving plaintiffs suing Red Roof Inn, Inc. The lawsuit alleged that the company had direct knowledge of prostitution and trafficking at two of its Atlanta locations between 2009 and 2018.

Survivors, who waited nearly five years to bring Red Roof Inns, Inc. to justice, courageously shared their experiences of trafficking.

“Every one of our clients is thrilled with this settlement. Our clients wanted their stories to be heard in a public forum,” said Pat McDonough, lead attorney. “Because they had the courage to do this, they hope it will spark institutional change in the hospitality industry. These big brands will realize that they can be held accountable for the horrible things that happen in their hotels and that changes in training and policies need to take place to prevent this from happening to other victims in the future.”

The case involved sex trafficking and prostitution that was rampant at some Red Roof Inn properties in Smyrna and Buckhead, according to the law firm.

Publicly available documents revealed that sex trafficking and prostitution in these locations was “visible and frequent.”

The trial also highlighted the involvement of several hotel employees who actively aided traffickers or ignored the situation to maximize revenue from room bookings linked to sex trafficking.

Testimonies from Red Roof Inn employees admitted to knowledge of sex trafficking of minors that had been occurring at hotels for years.

“The details of this case are heartbreaking and devastating,” McDonough continued. “Red Roof Inn not only knew about the problem, but profited from it. We hope this lawsuit serves as an example to other hotels that they can and will be held accountable for what happens at their properties. We applaud the survivors of this case for stepping up to the plate. Their actions will make a meaningful difference.”