The Trial and the Testimony
Minneapolis Republican operative Tony Lazzaro took the stand on Tuesday in his own defense against federal sex trafficking charges. The prosecution alleges that Lazzaro paid five underage girls for sex, with one victim as young as fifteen at the time. However, Lazzaro denies recruiting young partners or paying for sex. Instead, he claims that he was looking for a romantic connection through online dating sites like SeekingArrangement.
During his testimony, Lazzaro admitted to having sex with at least some of the girls but denied paying them for sex. He also claimed that he did not recruit them and that they came to him voluntarily. Lazzaro’s defense attorney questioned him about his online dating history, specifically his use of SeekingArrangement.
The SeekingArrangement Connection
Lazzaro claimed that SeekingArrangement is just a dating site and that he connected with Gisela Castro Medina on the site. They became close friends after an initial sexual encounter. However, Lazzaro denied allegations that Castro Medina recruited other girls for him, including the alleged victims who testified against him.
Lazzaro also admitted to having consensual sex with a 16-year-old girl brought by Castro Medina but denied paying her for sex. He expressed concerns about her drug use but claimed that he did not recruit her for any illicit activity.
The Alleged Victims
In addition to the alleged victims who testified against him, Lazzaro also described meeting other girls through Snapchat. He claimed that he met “three dozen” people through Castro Medina during that period.
Prosecutors highlighted WhatsApp messages between Lazzaro, Castro Medina and her boyfriend, who brokered a meeting between Lazzaro and Kira Costal – his current romantic partner – to imply that Lazzaro owed the boyfriend money.
The Lifestyle and Testimony of Lazzaro’s Partner
Costal testified in Lazzaro’s defense, stating that Lazzaro has since deeded his $875,000 condo over to her, pays rent on her apartment, and purchased a $76,000 Tesla for her. She denied ever accepting money from Lazzaro or being aware of his alleged actions at the time of the relationship.
Zeina Sleiman, a front desk manager at Hotel Ivy, testified that staff were trained to spot signs of sex trafficking but they never saw any of Lazzaro’s many female guests appear to be scared.
The Conclusion and the Prosecution’s Cross-Examination
The prosecution will cross-examine Lazzaro on Wednesday. Despite his admissions regarding sex with minors, Lazzaro maintains he did not recruit the girls or pay them for sex. The ongoing trial highlights many themes including the use of social media and online dating sites like SeekingArrangement, as well as the alleged exploitation of minors.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
