Doe 1 et al v. Foxx Tails et al

On October 3, 2018, three anonymous plaintiffs filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada against Foxx Tails, LLC, a Las Vegas adult entertainment club, and its owner John Foxx. The Jane Does alleged that they were lured with false promises of legitimate employment and then coerced into performing commercial sex acts at the venue. The complaint asserted violations of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act and related state laws, claiming the defendants knowingly benefited from and participated in a sex trafficking venture. The plaintiffs sought compensatory and punitive damages, along with an injunction to shut down the establishment’s operations. The case underscored the growing use of federal civil remedies to combat forced labor in the nightlife industry.

The parties reached a confidential settlement agreement in 2020, leading to the dismissal of the case with prejudice. The defendants did not admit any liability.

Whether Foxx Tails, LLC and John Foxx knowingly participated in a venture engaged in sex trafficking, and whether the plaintiffs qualified as trafficking victims entitled to civil damages and injunctive relief under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act.

The case intensified public scrutiny of adult entertainment venues and their labor practices, encouraging more survivors to file anonymous civil suits. It also spurred legislative proposals in Nevada to tighten licensing requirements and enhance oversight of strip clubs to prevent covert trafficking operations.