A mother and son duo in Florida are accused of using their real estate business as a front for a prostitution empire that has been operating for almost 25 years. Margareta von Lambert, 70, and her son, Christopher Jelavic, 48, were recently arrested on felony charges including money laundering and deriving support from the proceeds of prostitution. Authorities claim that the pair had been laundering hundreds of thousands of dollars through various front companies and real estate purchases.
The duo’s primary company, Pretty Woman Escorts, reportedly offered Latin American and European women for rates ranging from $300 to $400 per hour. Many of the escorts working for von Lambert and Jelavic were said to be registered as real estate agents with valid licenses. Investigations revealed that the prostitution business was hidden behind a front company called Boca Art Studios.
The affidavit states that Jelavic had purchased millions of dollars worth of real estate, facilitated by von Lambert, despite employment records showing a minimal income. Detectives gathered evidence showing activities of prostitution being conducted out of the front company by the mother-son team. The authorities managed to insert an undercover operative into the business to gather more information.
Further surveillance operations conducted by the Broward County Sheriff’s Office revealed instances of sexual activities taking place during escort outings. Detectives tracked cash transactions and found incriminating evidence like lists of customers, services booked, and even unusual items like a pregnancy test in trash pulls at the dispatch locations.
The investigation led to the arrests of Jelavic and von Lambert as they were allegedly preparing to flee the country. The pair are currently in custody, facing serious charges related to organised crime and money laundering. Their communications, including conversations indicating plans to move or hide assets internationally, were closely monitored by authorities.
Jelavic and von Lambert are scheduled to be arraigned in court on October 2. The case has shed light on a long-running illicit operation that used a legitimate business as a front for illegal activities. As more details emerge, the extent of their alleged prostitution empire continues to be uncovered by law enforcement officials.