It has been said that Donald Trump is involved in hundreds of business ventures, either directly or through the licensing of his name. In fact, Trump has stated that of his claimed $10 billion net worth (Forbes places his net worth at a far more modest $4.5 billion), $3 billion consists of his “brand.”
It might come as a surprise to some that his name has adorned some rather shady businesses in recent years. From the so-called Trump University to various less than savory ventures connected to his casinos, Trump’s valuable name has created instant publicity to business ventures for years, with little or no apparent policing from Donald Trump to protect the value of that name.
One such venture was “Trump Escorts.” Trump Escorts was apparently a high end escort service whose website (http://trumpescorts.com) featured the Trump International logo. A WhoIs search reveals that the domain was first registered in 2007 by an outfit in Hong Kong called Covora Communications, a VOIP and digital communications contractor. The website no longer exists and is forwarded instead to the website of Mystique Companions International. Please visit with caution. This site is definitely not “Safe For Work” or around children.
Although the original website is no longer available, several archived versions – from 2013 through 2015 – can be found on Archive.org. Looking at any one of them, it is apparent that the former Trump Escorts website and the new Mystique Companions International website are virtually identical. From design to photos to content, little seems to have been changed from one website to the other.
Now, here’s an interesting bit of information. It was not until the end of October 2015 that the domain for the new site was registered. Although ownership of the new domain is now cloaked by use of a proxy service, the old domain forwards to the new domain and both are registered through GoDaddy. Coincidentally, Trump.com, TrumpUniversity.com and TrumpInitiative.com are also all registered through GoDaddy.
Neither the former Trump Escorts site nor the current Mystique Companions International site indicates an address. However, review site Site Jabber indicates that the address of Trump Escorts was/is 180 Riverside Drive, Upper West Side New York, New York 10024, USA, which is also – again, coincidentally – the address of Trump Place in Manhattan.
Trump Escorts’s website describes the function of their company as follows:
“Your happiness and entertainment are a genuine priority, and we strive for excellence in all things. We are interested in inner beauty and grace as well as outer beauty and talent. Bringing positive energy to everyone we encounter is our deepest pleasure. Our ladies are all upscale and skilled, building great anticipation in their presence. We don’t cater for wild parties, but we do facilitate tasteful, exciting encounters between mature and high-minded adults.”
On the topic of payment they say:
“Our upmarket courtesan models’ fees are for their time. Please do not send lists of ‘services’ you expect to receive… We are not a red light establishment, we introduce you to beautiful dates. How your time together naturally unfolds, is between you and your captivating date.”
According to the Trump Escorts website, the “fees” range from $800 for an hour to $45,000 for an entire month. A month? Trump Escorts was sending out “models” for an entire month? One has to wonder what a “model” needs to do to be paid $45,000 for non-stop companionship with a wealthy man.
And let’s look at the descriptions. Courtesan models? Skilled ladies who build “great anticipation in their presence?” That certainly creates a great many legitimate questions about the exact nature of the business.
Just as important are the questions this set of circumstances creates for Donald Trump. While it is certainly possible that some company was using the Trump name illegally, why did it take until Trump was deeply into his Presidential campaign for something to be done about it? If Trump neither owns nor has licensed his name to this outfit, why didn’t Trump demand ownership of the TrumpEscorts.com domain name instead of allowing it to continue forwarding to the new Mystique Companions International website? Why hasn’t there been a press release issued disavowing this company and stating for the record that Trump has never had anything to do with it?
We do not know the answers to these or any similar questions. All we have are several mysterious coincidences and the use of the Trump name for an extended period of time. These coincidences do raise a disturbing prospect which should be addressed and – if possible – dispelled by a man running for President. At the very least, Donald Trump should clarify what Trump Escorts is, whether this venture was somehow related to him and his businesses and – if not – how he ensured that this company is permanently distanced from his name and enterprises.
Imre Beke is the former host of Right Time Radio on WKNY 1490 AM. Imre is currently the CEO of Heritage American Media, which is about to launch an online radio and video network and operates the Heritage American News Digest news aggregation website.
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