Derek Hay, a British former porn performer and currently one of the top agent’s in the adult industry as the owner of LA Direct Models, is being accused by four pornstars of sexual abuse and sex trafficking, per Xbiz.
According to the aforementioned Xbiz article, a formal complaint was filed against Derek Hay with California’s Labor Commissioner, with the for porn performers — who are all identified as “Jane Does” — saying that Hay is linked to an “illegal escort business” involved in sex trafficking.
As part of the complaint, per Xbiz, the accusations claim Hay had clients agree to improper improper “exclusive multi-year agreements,” which also included “unconscionable fees” for things like canceling shoots. The complaint added that Hay then had performers either pay back fees in cash or “work-off” payments by performing sex acts on him.
This is a major accusation in the porn industry, it led Allan Gelbard — a leading industry attorney who’s representing the four “Jane Does” — to say this, per Rolling Stone:
“I’ve represented people in all aspects of the adult entertainment space for more than 20 years. I feel that this may be my most important case to date,” industry attorney Allan Gelbard, who represents the four “Jane Does,” told AVN.
Gelbard added in a statement to the porn industry news website Xbiz. “I believe that, in addition to my four clients, there have been numerous other performers who have contacted the Labor Commission alleging similar conduct. Obviously, I would like to speak to them as possible corroborating witnesses.”
The complaint, which can be seen here, also claims that Derek Hay had an under-the-table business relationship with an unnamed ”unlicensed and illegal escort business,” which Hay used to “book personal sexual encounters with one or more of his own clients.” If true, this could have led to Derek Hay and LA Direct pocketing additional money as an agency fee instead of retaining the standard commission fee from performing clients.
Although the pornstars have been identified as Jane Does, one of the complainants is pornstar Charlotte Cross, who opened up to Xbiz and AVN about the accusations, giving the two sites consent to use her name. Here’s what Cross had to say about the unfortunate situation.
“This has been going on for far too long and we refuse to be silent any longer,” Cross told the site. “The women that have chosen to speak up have decided fair working conditions are more important than their own careers. In my experience, most of the well-known agencies abide by the laws set forth by the state of California and treat their clients respectfully. We deserve the same from Direct Models.”
Given the severity of the allegations, it will be interesting to see how all of this shakes up. And, based off of how Cross describes it all above, it’s something that has been going on in the adult industry for far too long.
(H/T Rolling Stone, Xbiz)