Court Denies Choice Hotels’ Motion to Dismiss, Allowing Key Sex Trafficking Claims to Proceed in Lawsuit Against Choice Hotels and Affiliates
SEATTLE, WA – The United States District Court for the Western District of Washington has denied Choice Hotels International, Inc.’s motion to dismiss, allowing key claims to proceed in a lawsuit alleging the company knowingly benefitted from and facilitated sex trafficking at one of its franchised properties. The lawsuit, brought by Singleton Schreiber LLP on behalf of Jane Doe A, asserts that Choice Hotels (the franchisor of Quality Inn) and G6 entities (the franchisors of Motel 6), as well as the franchisees of each, failed to take appropriate action despite clear signs of trafficking at their respective locations between 2012 and 2016.
Doe’s claims are brought under the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA), which allows survivors to hold individuals and entities accountable when they perpetrate or knowingly benefit from sex trafficking. The court’s ruling denied dismissal on all grounds, allowing both TVPRA perpetrator and beneficiary liability claims to move forward, as well as a vicarious liability theory holding Choice Hotels accountable for the actions of its franchisee.
The lawsuit alleges that despite maintaining significant control over franchise operations through centralized reservation systems, brand policies, and anti-trafficking training, Choice Hotels and the other defendants failed to take meaningful action. The complaint details that Doe exhibited visible signs of abuse, traffickers frequently paid in cash and extended stays on a day-to-day basis, and the hotel saw unusually high volumes of male visitors to a single room. Despite these clear red flags, hotel staff failed to intervene, and the franchisee allegedly accepted payments from traffickers to allow after-hours visitors.
“This ruling is a crucial step forward in ensuring that corporations, including brand companies, cannot evade responsibility when they turn a blind eye to trafficking on their properties,” said Meagan Verschueren, attorney and lead of the Sexual Assault and Sex Trafficking practice group at Singleton Schreiber. “Hotels are often the site of these horrific crimes, and when corporate entities should know that this is happening or knowingly allow this to happen, they must be held accountable.”
Singleton Schreiber is a client-centered law firm, specializing in mass torts/multi-district litigation, fire litigation, personal injury/wrongful death, civil rights, environmental law,
and sex abuse/trafficking. Over the last decade, the firm has recovered more than $2.5 billion for clients who have been harmed and sought justice. The firm also has the largest fire litigation practice in the country, having represented over 26,000 victims of wildfire, most notably serving plaintiffs in litigation related to the 2023 Maui wildfires, the Colorado Marshall wildfire, the Washington Gray wildfire, and others.
