Human Trafficking Survivor Alleges Motel Was Complicit In Repeated Rapes

A trafficking survivor settled out of court after she sued a motel for allegedly turning a blind eye and facilitating repeated rapes while she was held captive. The case may have laid the legal groundwork for other trafficking victims to hold motels accountable for complicity.

August 26, 2021
Shangri-La Motel

Shangri-La Motel in Seekok, Massachusetts [via Shangri-La Motel website]

Shangri-La Motel in Seekok, Massachusetts [via Shangri-La Motel website]

Lisa Ricchio was just trying to help a friend when she traveled from Maine to Massachusetts in 2011.

According to court documents from the civil suit’s 2015 filing, Clark McLean told Ricchio he was in pain after surgery and needed help. When the two checked into the Shangri-La Motel in Seekonk, Mass., McClean reportedly began physically and sexually assaulting Ricchio and took her car, cell phone, and driver’s license. He allegedly kept her from eating, drugged her, and threatened her family. After a number of days, he forced her into prostitution.

The motel was liable, the suit claimed, because Ricchio reached out to the hotel owners for help several times, and they declined to intervene despite seeing McClean physically assaulting her, the suit said. The suit went on to allege that McClean, and one of the hotel owners, openly spoke about how they could make money together. The hotel also benefited financially because McClean was paying for the room where Ricchio was trafficked.

It was the first suit filed against a motel for its role in a human trafficking situation, according to an article from NPR. Ricchio’s case was ultimately settled out of court for an undetermined amount of money.

That same NPR report goes on to say that other human trafficking survivors have now sued other motel chains such as Hilton, Marriott, and Red Roof Inn.

How the Hospitality Industry is Fighting Human Trafficking

The American Hotel and Lodging Association offers a “No Room for Trafficking” program to help hotel and hospitality staff act quickly if they suspect human trafficking in their facilities.

Its five-point plan includes teaching staff members to spot the signs of trafficking and who to call, placing signage around the facility with information about trafficking, establishing company-wide policies on what to do if an employee suspects trafficking, coordinating with law enforcement, and sharing success stories.

How you can help

According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, these are the steps you can take to save the life of yourself or someone else:

  • If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 911.
  • Call the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free hotline at 1-888-373-7888: Anti-Trafficking Hotline Advocates are available 24/7 to take reports of potential human trafficking.
  • Text the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 233733. Message and data rates may apply.
  • Chat with the National Human Trafficking Hotline via www.humantraffickinghotline.org/chat
  • Submit a tip online through the anonymous online reporting form here www.humantraffickinghotline.org/report-trafficking. However, please note that if the situation is urgent or occurred within the last 24 hours, you should call, text, or chat.

Next Up

T.I. And Tiny Face Criminal Investigation Over Sexual Abuse Allegations

The couple adamantly denies they drugged, kidnapped or sexually assaulted the alleged victims.

True Crime News Roundup: Britney Spears’ Father Will No Longer Oversee Her Conservatorship

Plus: A New York jury reaches a verdict in the R. Kelly sex-trafficking trial; 11 fraternity brothers are charged for hazing after a pledge dies; and the Georgia spa shooter pleads not guilty.

Child Sex-Trafficking Survivor Recently Freed From Prison Vows To Help Other At-Risk Youth

“I want to change lives,” Alexis Ke’Erica Martin says after Ohio’s governor pardoned her for her involvement in her pimp’s murder.

5 Truths And A Lie About The Death Of Jeffrey Epstein

The disgraced financier was found dead in his Manhattan jail cell a little more than a month after his arrest on federal sex trafficking charges. What really happened to Epstein?

Manhattan Man Charged With Sex Trafficking 14-Year-Old Girl Running Away From Home

Glen Johnson, 62, met the victim at Manhattan’s Penn Station and offered to ‘take care of her’ before allegedly raping and trafficking her.

Human Trafficking Survivor And FBI Agent Team Up To Save Victims

Thousands of Americans become the victim of human trafficking each year. This survivor is speaking out and fighting back.

Inside the Court’s ‘Severe And Rare’ Decision To Free Bill Cosby From Prison

The disgraced comedian spent three years behind bars after he was convicted of assault in 2018.

Woman Who Escaped Serial Killer Uses TikTok To Empower Others Dealing With Trauma

‘I went on to survive and thrive,’ Kara Robinson Chamberlain says of life after Richard Marc Edward Evonitz kidnapped her when she was 15.

'I Was Definitely Brainwashed': Onision's Youngest Alleged Victim Speaks Out

Sarah alleges years of grooming, inappropriate sexual behavior and abuse at the hands of the YouTuber, beginning when she was just 14 years old.

Accused Rapist & Murderer Fathers Children With Woman & Her Daughter; Now On The Run

Tomas Magallon Gonzalez is described as a master manipulator of people, especially children. He’s accused of sexually assaulting his girlfriend's nine-year-old daughter for years and eventually fathering two children with her before killing her.