Feds Bust Miami Companions

And as I reported a few weeks ago I’m told more are coming.

Federal investigators announced this week the arrests of five people linked to a dating service that allegedly provided prostitutes across the country.

The feds say that Miami Companions was among the largest prostitution rings in the United States.

The company rented exotic beach houses, where clients exchanged money for sex, and sent women to Boston, Chicago and the Detroit area — until Michigan authorities began making arrests, investigators said.

Those arrests culminated Wednesday when indictments for five people connected to the business were announced.

The indictments included the accused owners — Gregory Carr, aka Paul Cutlass, 43, and Laurie Carr, 39.

The Carrs, Michelle Matarazzo, 36, and Nayubet Loani Swaso, 24, were arrested on a six-count indictment charging conspiracy to coerce and entice prostitution, coercion and enticement of prostitution, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Fabiola Contreras, 33, was arrested on a complaint alleging conspiracy to commit money laundering

Wednesday, the company’s website described itself as “the most prestigious dating service of its kind!” But it doesn’t condone or provide illicit services, the opening page said.

The page went on to say that, “All monies exchanged for services are for time and companionship only.”

Not so, said federal authorities.

Here’s how investigators described the work of Miami Companions:

The Carrs owned the operation.

Matarazzo managed the office. Her duties included coordinating travel for the women and setting appointments with johns.

Swaso managed the overseas call center they used at one point to coordinate travel of the women and book appointments. Employees at call centers in Panama and Costa Rica were paid for with millions of dollars moved into overseas bank accounts, authorities said.

As for the proceeds, those went into bank accounts owned by Contreras. Overall, investigators believe the Carrs laundered more than $4 million in company proceeds in multiple bank accounts, all under different names.

The company began sending prostitutes to the Detroit area in the early 2000s, authorities said, and continued to do business there until March 2009, when several arrests were made by the FBI and Southeast Michigan Crimes Against Children task force.

The investigation continued, leading up to Wednesday’s arrests.

Four of the five were arrested in South Florida, authorities said. A fifth was arrested in Pittsburgh.

The five are scheduled to appear in federal court in Michigan on Aug. 11.

The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Michigan. The FBI, IRS and Immigration and Customs Enforcement all are part of the investigation.