'Mansion Madam' Carry On Amidst Legal Proceedings'

GEORGE CHIDI

Lisa Ann Taylor's attorneys say the alleged "Mansion Madam" of Sugarloaf Country Club will try to keep herself busy as her court case progresses.
Mark Issa, a Norcross-based attorney working with Taylor, said the indictment of the 43-year-old former Penthouse Pet on racketeering, drug and prostitution charges Wednesday was disappointing but not unexpected.
"We kind of knew where [the Gwinnett County District Attorney's Office was] heading," Issa said Friday during a brief news conference that his office planned.
Taylor, known professionally as Melissa Wolf, was arrested in January along with Nicole Probert, 30, an associate who performed as an adult entertainer under the stage name "Naughty Nikki."
The Gwinnett grand jury indictment alleges that the women performed sexual acts together with clients for money. It also accuses them of procuring drugs and of running a criminal enterprise from Taylor's million-dollar home at Sugarloaf Country Club in Duluth. Taylor's house is subject to forfeiture under racketeering laws.
Both Taylor and Probert have denied the charges. Taylor has said she had been trying to leave the adult entertainment industry before her arrest, working as a real estate agent. She has since rekindled her career as a nude dancer, capitalizing on her notoriety as the "Mansion Madam."
But Taylor recently told reporters that club owners have grown concerned about booking her as an entertainer because of the stigma associated with the drug and prostitution charges.
"She's going to try to continue to make money," Issa said.

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Lisa Ann Taylor And Nicole Probert's Case Before Grand Jury Wednesday

Melissa Wilson

Evidence surrounding an alleged high-class Sugarloaf Country Club prostitution ring will be presented before a grand jury Wednesday, according to the district attorney. Attorneys involved with the case will present evidence concerning Lisa Ann Taylor and Nicole Probert. The two are accused of running the illegal business out of Taylor’s Duluth mansion inside Sugarloaf Country Club. Taylor, alias Melissa Wolf, and Probert, aka Brigit Fox and Naughty Nikki, were arrested Jan. 3 after an investigation into “The Erotic Review” Web site. Content on the site included performance reviews, discussion boards and price listings for sex. Both Taylor and Fox are free on bond but face charges of violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, prostitution, keeping a place of prostitution and conspiracy to possess cocaine. Gwinnett County District Attorney Danny Porter said the jury will decide Wednesday if the two women and five men charged with pandering as part of the ring will be indicted. Porter previously said he was waiting for reports from Gwinnett police before evidence could be presented to a grand jury. Police spokesman Cpl. Darren Moloney on Friday said a report has been completed, but he could not provide the Post with the document before press time Friday.Although the reports took time because of the extent of the investigation, Moloney said the investigation progressed “on schedule.” When asked if he expects indictments for the women and the alleged johns to come from Wednesday’s events, Porter said he could not speculate on the ruling. “We believed we had enough evidence to go before a grand jury,” Porter said. “Ultimately, the decision is up to them. I present the evidence and they decide whether or not to charge.“The evidence will be presented Wednesday and then the next step is arraignment and that would happen sometime within 30 days,” Porter said. Attorney Steve Sadow, who represents Probert, declined to comment until after next week’s hearing. “I’d like to wait to see what happens Wednesday before commenting,” Sadow said. As far as a press conference or comment from his client, Sadow said that will be decided after the grand jury’s ruling is in. Messages were left with Taylor’s attorney, Mark Issa, but calls were not returned.Porter said he could not comment in regard to any future potential arrests involved with the case.

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Will Lisa Ann Taylor Lose Mansion And Vehicle?

Valerie Hoff

Accused 'Mansion Madam' Lisa Taylor has been living in her Sugarloaf Country Club home since her arrest in January, but she could lose that home.

Gwinnett County District Attorney Danny Porter is asking a judge to order Taylor to forfeit the home, along with a 1989 Corvette and $3,700 in cash police seized during her January arrest.

"The complaint alleges they were maintained and operated through ill-gotten gains, money from criminal activity," said Porter.

Taylor is accused of running a house of prostitution.

But she and her attorneys maintain she's an adult entertainer and her activities such as dancing and adult videos were legal.

"The vehicle has a long standing history with Miss Taylor, as does the house and the money," said defense attorney Mark Issa. "We believe it’s not fair at all to take someone's home and vehicle and money prior to being convicted of a crime and we think it goes against the principals of the Constitution."

Taylor is charged under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, known as RICO. It was enacted in the 1970's to fight organized crime, and contains stiff penalties and forfeiture provisions for those who commit a series of illegal acts to further a criminal enterprise.

As the civil forfeiture case gets underway, Porter said the criminal process is slightly behind schedule because of the vast amount of computer data seized from Taylor's home.

"There was a lot of stuff on the hard drive, a lot of information and to go through it is taking longer than we expected," said Porter.

As they wait for their cases to go to the Grand Jury, Taylor and her alleged accomplice Nicole Probert are working as dancers at a DeKalb County adult entertainment venue called the Oasis.

Porter said he will likely present the case to the grand jury before summer. He said he does not anticipate making any more arrests before that time.

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