Georgia Jury Orders Hotel Chain to Pay $164 Million for Sex-Trafficking Abuse

A federal jury in Georgia concluded that Lincoln Bancorp LLC, the owner of a Super 8 hotel in College Park, knowingly facilitated a sex-trafficking ring that held a 15-year-old girl for about 120 days during 2020-21. The jury awarded the victim $44 million in compensatory damages and $120 million in punitive damages, totaling $164 million. The victim’s lawyer, Patrick McDonough, said hotel staff warned traffickers when police were approaching and profited from the exploitation.

This verdict joins a $40 million judgment against United Inn and Suites in DeKalb County and several pending suits against other Georgia hotels. Similar accusations have emerged against properties in New Jersey, Los Angeles, Ohio, Philadelphia, Virginia and Nebraska, with some operators facing criminal charges. The rulings highlight growing legal pressure on the hospitality industry to prevent trafficking on their premises.