December 2, 2019

The U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts has determined that the insurer must defend a motel that is accused of benefiting from sex trafficking. The case is Ricchio v. Bijal, Inc., No. 15-13519-FDS, 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 203132 (D. Mass. Nov. 22, 2019).

Lisa Ricchio alleges that she was kidnapped by Clark McLean on June 1, 2011. She contends that McLean brought her to the Shangri-La motel in Seekonk, Massachusetts where he held her captive for several days. The motel is owned by Bijal, Inc and the defendants Ashvin and Siva Patel worked at and lived in the motel during Ricchio's alleged captivity. Ricchio maintains that McLain repeatedly raped and abused her during her captivity, and that he made clear to her that he intended to force her to work as a prostitute under his control. Further, she argues that the Patel's and Bijal, Inc. knew that she was being held captive and profited from it.