Luxury blue-city landlords accused of looking the other way as high-end buildings turn into crime hubs

A woman who says she was sex trafficked as a minor is accusing employees at two California luxury apartment complexes of turning a blind eye and in some cases allegedly accepting cash while a trafficking operation unfolded inside high-end residences costing thousands of dollars a month, according to a federal lawsuit.

In the complaint filed this month, the woman, identified only as A.V., alleges that staff members at Avalon at Mission Bay and South Beach Marina Apartments in San Francisco failed to intervene as she was allegedly trafficked between 2018 and 2019, beginning when she was still in high school and under the age of 18.

According to the lawsuit, A.V. was trafficked by a man identified under a pseudonym as "Tom Roe," who allegedly forced her and other victims to engage in commercial sex acts with men inside the apartment units where they lived. The complaint states Roe paid rent for the units, often in cash, while the trafficking activity continued inside.

Plaintiffs' attorneys allege Roe intentionally placed his victims in luxury apartment buildings because of their upscale appearance and amenities and that the apartments served as the headquarters of the alleged trafficking operation, with customers routinely sent to the units.

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The lawsuit states Roe initially rented a one-bedroom unit at South Beach Marina Apartments for approximately $7,500 a month, paid in cash. Later, the complaint alleges, A.V. and the other victims were moved to Avalon at Mission Bay, where rent was roughly $10,000 a month because Roe believed the property was "more luxurious."

According to the complaint, apartment employees, including front-desk staff, security personnel and maintenance workers, observed circumstances that plaintiffs’ attorneys describe as indicators of sex trafficking. Those indicators allegedly included multiple unregistered tenants, including a minor, frequent visits from non-resident men and a lease held in the name of a person with no reported income.

The lawsuit further alleges that security cameras monitored entrances, side doors, gyms and common areas of the buildings, and that staff observed A.V. entering and exiting the properties with customers.

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Plaintiffs' attorneys also allege maintenance workers entered the apartment units during the trafficking operation and witnessed commercial sex acts, drug use and cash exchanges, but that no action was taken.

According to the complaint, Roe allegedly kept A.V. compliant by providing drugs, including cocaine and Xanax, and by threatening violence if she failed to make enough money. The lawsuit also alleges Roe branded A.V. and other victims with tattoos as part of the trafficking operation.

Among the most serious allegations, the complaint claims Roe paid apartment employees in cash in exchange for their silence and that front-desk and security staff instructed victims to hide their faces when bringing customers into or out of the buildings.

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The lawsuit also alleges the apartment operators failed to properly train employees to recognize and report signs of sex trafficking and that the companies benefited financially through rent payments, service fees and continued use of the apartment units.

According to the complaint, A.V. was only able to escape the alleged trafficking operation after Roe was arrested by the FBI. The lawsuit does not specify when the arrest occurred or whether federal charges were filed.

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A federal judge has granted A.V. permission to proceed under a pseudonym due to the sensitive nature of the allegations.

The lawsuit accuses the apartment operators of negligence and emotional distress and seeks to hold the companies accountable, as well as their owners, security teams and agents.

Fox News Digital reached out to AvalonBay Communities, South Beach Marina Apartments, the San Francisco Police Department, the FBI, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California and attorneys representing the plaintiff for comment.