New York City Man Hopeful That $120 Hand Job Will Turn Into $1.8 Million Payoff

The New Yorker suing an escort agency over a sexual encounter last month in a Las Vegas hotel room defended his filing of a $1.8 million civil rights lawsuit, saying that he was unaware that it was illegal to pay for sex and was inebriated when negotiating a $120 digital manipulation.

In interviews, Hubert Blackman, 22, claimed he only expected to receive a lap dance, “like at strip clubs,” when he called Las Vegas Exclusive Personals on December 17, his first night in Sin City. But according to Blackman, the escort--whom he described as “Asian with straight white teeth, a tattoo on her butt, and a Gucci bag”--was the one who proposed providing more, offering a hand job for $200. Though “drunk on Courvoisier,” Blackman “got her to drop it to $120.”

Blackman, pictured above, maintains he did not know it was illegal in Las Vegas to pay for sexual acts. “It was my first time in this new city, new state,” he said. “She came to me, and I thought I could do it all.” Blackman, who works at a Duane Reade in Manhattan, said he traveled alone to Las Vegas with $2000. “I lost everything," he said. “Mostly playing the slots.”

As for his rationale in suing the escort service, Blackman said he believes the firm “engaged and encouraged misconduct and fraud acts” that constituted a “violation of corporation.” He noted that he relied on “Google mainstream” to research the law himself and arrive at the $1.8 million figure, adding that he filed his pro se lawsuit after first filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau (the BBB replied that they could not investigate an incident where a company reportedly breaks the law).

While Blackman’s U.S. District Court complaint claims that he has suffered mental distress as a result of his escort interaction, that may be a pre-existing condition. The East Harlem resident said that he has previously been diagnosed with a “psychotic disorder,” but that it was not “really strong.”

Blackman reported “seeing things and hearing things,” but said that he has not been on medication for two years. Though he recently dropped out of community college because he “can’t concentrate,” Blackman said he hoped to return to school and eventually work in accounting or business.