US tour operator accused of child sex tourism in Brazil

An American fishing tour operator is under a criminal investigation by the US Justice Department, accused of conducting sex tourism in Brazil, according to reports.

An American fishing tour operator is under a criminal investigation by the US Justice Department, accused of conducting sex tourism in Brazil, according to reports.

The defendant, Richard Schair operated Wet-A-Line Tours until 2009, allegedly using sports fishing expeditions in the Amazon as covers for tourists to have sex with underage girls.

The lawsuit was filed last month by Atlanta law firm King & Spalding and coordinated by human rights organization Equality Now on behalf of four Brazilian women who were the alleged victims of sex trafficking.

The federal complaint contends that most of customers recruited by Schair were affluent Americans, inducing impoverished Brazilian girls with the possibility of earning money.

Brazilian tourist company Santana Ecofish Safari is also under criminal investigations for the same charge. Brazilian federal police reported at least 15 underage girls were coerced into perform sex acts with tourists.

However, Schair has denied the charge while the lawyer of Santana Ecofish Safari has not replied to discuss specifics of the inquiries.

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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