Federal Judge Awards Strippers At Rick's Cabaret $10M In Back Wages

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) - Dancers at a New York City strip club have been awarded more than $10 million back wages and tips after suing to be paid at least a minimum wage.

A federal judge issued the ruling Friday in a lawsuit brought by current and former dancers at Rick's Cabaret in Manhattan.

The lawsuit says the strippers were denied wages and required to pay fees to the club. The club argued the dancers were independent contractors paid by customers.

Club lawyers also said any wages due should be offset by the customer-paid ``performance fees.'' They included $20 for each ``personal dance,'' and semi-private-room fees starting at $100 for 15 minutes.

U.S District Judge Paul Engelmayer disagreed and awarded $10.8 million. He ruled last year the dancers were entitled to minimum wage.

The publicly-traded Rick's Cabaret International also operates nightclubs in several other cities, under the names Rick's, Jaguars, Club Onyx, Tootsie's Cabaret, and XTC Cabaret. The company also runs the auction site NaughtyBids.com, the swingers dating site CouplesTouch.com, and the adult subscription portal site xxxpassword.com.

The company was founded in 1983, and its company Web site notes that the late Anna Nicole Smith met her oil billionaire husband, J. Howard Marshall, while dancing at one of its clubs in Houston.

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