Choice Hotels Must Face Sex Trafficking Claims, Judge Says

Choice Hotels International Inc. failed to convince a district court to dismiss three cases from women who allege that, as minors, they were the victims of sex trafficking at Choice-branded hotels.

The women allege that employees at Choice hotels and its franchisees would’ve or should’ve seen multiple “‘consistent red flags’” that it was benefitting from a venture that violated the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act. But Choice and its franchisees failed to take adequate steps to train staff to prevent the trafficking, the plaintiffs say. The US District Court for the Southern District of Ohio concluded Monday the women ...