Facing Prison, the D.C. Madam Hangs Herself in a Shed
Deborah Jeane Palfrey (Getty Images)When the United States Postal Service busted Deborah Jeane Palfrey for money laundering and prostitution, she wasn't the only one sweating.
Republican Senator David Vitter was revealed to be one of Palfrey's clients in 2007 (Getty Images)Palfrey, who would come to be known as the D.C. Madam, had cleared a reported $2 million over 13 years by selling sex to Washington's rich and powerful. The charges led to Palfrey's phone records being made public, which led to a few resignations from middling government officials. But the biggest fish on the Madam's phone records, Sen. David Vitter (R-LA), never resigned and never faced charges.
Vitter publicly acknoledged his use of Palfrey's services at a press conference July 16, 2007. He apologized for his conduct before his wife spoke, offering her support.
In early 2007, one of Palfrey's former escorts, Brandy Britton, committed suicide by hanging.
Palfreys reaction? "I guess I'm made of something that Brandy Britton wasn't made of."
The words would prove to be ironic in April of 2008. After Palfrey was found guilty, before she could be sentenced for her crimes, she took her own life by hanging herself in a storage shed in Florida.
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