1 00:00:06,519 --> 00:00:06,880 Speaker 1: Novel. 2 00:00:11,080 --> 00:00:14,640 Speaker 2: Hey listeners, this is Ellie Flynn. Before we get started, 3 00:00:14,800 --> 00:00:16,840 Speaker 2: I just want to let you know that this episode 4 00:00:16,920 --> 00:00:21,079 Speaker 2: contains swearing and explicit sexual language. It's also a story 5 00:00:21,079 --> 00:00:24,280 Speaker 2: of female empowerment and camaraderie thanks to the women who 6 00:00:24,320 --> 00:00:27,720 Speaker 2: have shared their stories with us. We contacted the photographer 7 00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:30,680 Speaker 2: mentioned in this podcast multiple times for comment, but we 8 00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:33,400 Speaker 2: never heard back. He has not been charged with any 9 00:00:33,440 --> 00:00:36,760 Speaker 2: crimes and is presumed innocent under the law. We also 10 00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:40,440 Speaker 2: contacted Playboy USA. They state that they have asked their 11 00:00:40,440 --> 00:00:43,960 Speaker 2: licensees to blacklist the photographer mentioned in this series and 12 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:46,599 Speaker 2: that they prohibit paid to play which you'll hear more 13 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:50,240 Speaker 2: about later in the series. Our research into his association 14 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:53,239 Speaker 2: to Playboy and their statement will be detailed in episode 15 00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:58,360 Speaker 2: four of this series. Let me tell you a little 16 00:00:58,400 --> 00:01:04,160 Speaker 2: story about the power of Playboy. In nineteen ninety two, 17 00:01:04,480 --> 00:01:07,720 Speaker 2: Echo Johnson was just an ordinary girl living in Santa Fe, 18 00:01:07,880 --> 00:01:08,560 Speaker 2: New Mexico. 19 00:01:09,319 --> 00:01:11,440 Speaker 3: I was eighteen, and I was two months out of 20 00:01:11,480 --> 00:01:13,880 Speaker 3: high school, and I was in a restaurant having dinner. 21 00:01:14,319 --> 00:01:17,080 Speaker 2: She noticed the guy a few tables away staring at her. 22 00:01:18,240 --> 00:01:20,480 Speaker 2: After a while, he gets up and walks over. 23 00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:25,760 Speaker 3: He introduced himself to myself and my mom and invited 24 00:01:25,800 --> 00:01:26,679 Speaker 3: us Verger's table. 25 00:01:27,640 --> 00:01:30,520 Speaker 2: The guy, a photographer named Greg, said he shot for 26 00:01:30,560 --> 00:01:34,720 Speaker 2: a load of magazines like Vigue, Rolling Stone, and Playboy. 27 00:01:36,080 --> 00:01:38,919 Speaker 3: He was shooting a Playboy and he wanted to test 28 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:43,760 Speaker 3: me to be in that Playway and I was like, no, 29 00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:46,840 Speaker 3: absolutely not. I could not take my clothes off. I 30 00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:49,160 Speaker 3: think I'd seen Playway once in my dad's room. Like 31 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:50,800 Speaker 3: that's as much as I knew of it. 32 00:01:51,280 --> 00:01:54,440 Speaker 2: Eco's mom was a bit more familiar with Playboy. She 33 00:01:54,520 --> 00:01:57,280 Speaker 2: knew how getting discovered and featured in the magazine could 34 00:01:57,320 --> 00:02:01,000 Speaker 2: propel you to superstardom, just like it had for Pamela Anderson. 35 00:02:01,440 --> 00:02:04,640 Speaker 3: My mother she saw the opportunity and she said, you're 36 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:06,240 Speaker 3: doing this and then I was off. 37 00:02:10,320 --> 00:02:13,440 Speaker 2: Soon, Echo was whisked off to Zion National Park in 38 00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:17,600 Speaker 2: Utah for her first Playboy shoot with Greg, the photographer. 39 00:02:18,160 --> 00:02:19,320 Speaker 3: I was good in front of the camera. I was 40 00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:20,920 Speaker 3: pretty generic. I love the camera. 41 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 2: Echo had done a little bit of local modeling before, catalogs, 42 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:27,760 Speaker 2: that sort of thing, but this was different. 43 00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:31,960 Speaker 3: Working with the best of the best photographers, makeup, urners, stylus, everything. 44 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:33,079 Speaker 3: It was surreal. 45 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:37,400 Speaker 4: It was I was like, Wow, this is cool. 46 00:02:37,720 --> 00:02:41,400 Speaker 2: On the shoot, She's surrounded by a dreamy desert landscape 47 00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:46,160 Speaker 2: of pink sand dunes, epic rock formations, and endless skies. 48 00:02:47,280 --> 00:02:51,320 Speaker 3: These beautiful photographs, there's an image of me laying down 49 00:02:51,320 --> 00:02:53,880 Speaker 3: in the sand and you can see the perfect outline 50 00:02:53,919 --> 00:02:56,280 Speaker 3: of my body in the sand, and it was just 51 00:02:56,280 --> 00:02:59,440 Speaker 3: like I was suntanning. Most of the pictures were like that, 52 00:02:59,480 --> 00:03:01,000 Speaker 3: and it was it was great. 53 00:03:01,560 --> 00:03:04,880 Speaker 2: When those beautiful desert photographs were published, they caught the 54 00:03:04,919 --> 00:03:06,960 Speaker 2: attention of the big guy. 55 00:03:07,600 --> 00:03:10,160 Speaker 3: Hugh Hefner saw it and said, I want Echo to 56 00:03:10,200 --> 00:03:11,680 Speaker 3: Bemis January nineteen ninety three. 57 00:03:11,919 --> 00:03:16,160 Speaker 2: Hugh Hefner, the founder and editor in chief of Playboy. 58 00:03:16,800 --> 00:03:21,120 Speaker 2: He chose Echo to be the centerfold, the model featured 59 00:03:21,200 --> 00:03:24,240 Speaker 2: in the middle pages of the magazine, the top star 60 00:03:24,400 --> 00:03:28,840 Speaker 2: on the bill. Huge names have appeared there, Cindy Crawford, 61 00:03:29,120 --> 00:03:33,040 Speaker 2: Drew Barrymore, Sharon Stone, They've all been centerfold. 62 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 3: So it was like this whirlwind and a matter of 63 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:38,240 Speaker 3: two months out of high school, my whole life totally changed. 64 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:49,560 Speaker 2: Echo's career with Playboy made her serious money. Her centerfold 65 00:03:49,560 --> 00:03:53,520 Speaker 2: appearance earned her twenty grand in nineteen ninety two dollars 66 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:57,720 Speaker 2: aka a lot of cash, and that was just the beginning. 67 00:03:58,280 --> 00:04:02,400 Speaker 3: I worked nan step for gosh, I want to say, 68 00:04:02,440 --> 00:04:04,760 Speaker 3: span of like ten years and hanging out on the 69 00:04:04,760 --> 00:04:09,160 Speaker 3: Playboy yacht and going to premieres and people would recognize 70 00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:11,800 Speaker 3: me all the time in the airport, on the airplanes, whatever. 71 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:15,320 Speaker 3: And you had your you know, loyal fan base, and 72 00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:19,040 Speaker 3: I mean I was having time in my life. 73 00:04:18,120 --> 00:04:22,880 Speaker 2: Even today, having long since left modeling behind, Echo credits 74 00:04:22,960 --> 00:04:25,599 Speaker 2: all her success to that one lucky day in a 75 00:04:25,640 --> 00:04:30,080 Speaker 2: New Mexico restaurant when a random photographer noticed her and 76 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:31,840 Speaker 2: changed her life forever. 77 00:04:32,279 --> 00:04:34,200 Speaker 5: Gosh, I don't know, I don't know what my life 78 00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:36,000 Speaker 5: would have been. I would have been very different. I 79 00:04:36,080 --> 00:04:38,960 Speaker 5: know that, just right down to like the level of 80 00:04:39,080 --> 00:04:42,480 Speaker 5: travel that I was able to do and the calor 81 00:04:42,560 --> 00:04:44,760 Speaker 5: or people that I was able to meet and work 82 00:04:44,800 --> 00:04:49,120 Speaker 5: with and have these amazing resources at my fingertips. I'm 83 00:04:49,360 --> 00:04:52,240 Speaker 5: so grateful for the opportunity and I will always be. 84 00:05:00,920 --> 00:05:04,279 Speaker 2: This is the dream that Luis Gomez sells to models today. 85 00:05:04,800 --> 00:05:07,920 Speaker 2: Work with me and I'll get you in Playboy. Work 86 00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:11,839 Speaker 2: with me and I'll make you a star. It's an 87 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:15,240 Speaker 2: enticing claim. And hey, if Echo being spotted by a 88 00:05:15,320 --> 00:05:18,839 Speaker 2: random photographer in a restaurant could launch her career. Couldn't 89 00:05:18,839 --> 00:05:20,920 Speaker 2: that just be a pre internet version of being spotted 90 00:05:20,960 --> 00:05:27,279 Speaker 2: by Luis Gomes on Instagram today? Well maybe, except that 91 00:05:27,400 --> 00:05:31,479 Speaker 2: random photographer that echo met that Greg guy. It was 92 00:05:31,520 --> 00:05:35,280 Speaker 2: Greg Gorman. He's one of the most celebrated American portrait 93 00:05:35,320 --> 00:05:38,919 Speaker 2: photographers of the last fifty years. He has a master's 94 00:05:38,920 --> 00:05:43,520 Speaker 2: in cinematography and he's shot David Bowie, Barbara streisand Leonardo 95 00:05:43,560 --> 00:05:54,640 Speaker 2: DiCaprio Al Pacino. He's legit, legit, but it's Luise. I'm 96 00:05:54,680 --> 00:05:57,480 Speaker 2: Ellie Flynn and from the team at Novel. This is 97 00:05:57,560 --> 00:06:37,159 Speaker 2: the Bunny Trap Episode three, Guy with a camera. So, Ellie, 98 00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:41,760 Speaker 2: we made a discovery. Oh my god, very exciting. I'm 99 00:06:41,760 --> 00:06:44,840 Speaker 2: sitting with my producer Eleanor and assistant producer rom Alia. 100 00:06:45,640 --> 00:06:49,240 Speaker 2: After hearing the model's experiences, we want to figure out 101 00:06:49,320 --> 00:06:54,640 Speaker 2: how Luis Gomez rose to power. He seems to be 102 00:06:54,680 --> 00:06:57,640 Speaker 2: a big name in the glamour industry, but before starting 103 00:06:57,640 --> 00:07:00,839 Speaker 2: this investigation, I'd never heard of him, so we have 104 00:07:00,880 --> 00:07:01,760 Speaker 2: to start from scratch. 105 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:08,360 Speaker 6: So, in looking through a bunch of free public record websites, 106 00:07:09,040 --> 00:07:15,080 Speaker 6: we found out Louise's date of birth and full. 107 00:07:14,920 --> 00:07:20,040 Speaker 2: Name Luis Eduardo Gomez Lobo. He's from Venezuela and now 108 00:07:20,120 --> 00:07:24,080 Speaker 2: lives and works in the US. He's also around sixty, 109 00:07:24,560 --> 00:07:29,320 Speaker 2: so a lot older than I thought. I'm fascinated by 110 00:07:29,360 --> 00:07:31,720 Speaker 2: who he is as a person. What was he like 111 00:07:31,880 --> 00:07:34,800 Speaker 2: when you lived in Venezuela, Who is he and how 112 00:07:34,840 --> 00:07:39,040 Speaker 2: do you end up becoming this person in your mid 113 00:07:39,120 --> 00:07:42,400 Speaker 2: to late fifties. Luis Gomez is old enough to have 114 00:07:42,480 --> 00:07:51,120 Speaker 2: lived multiple lives, including one as a rock star. Once 115 00:07:51,200 --> 00:07:53,520 Speaker 2: upon a time, Luis was the guitarist for a rock 116 00:07:53,560 --> 00:07:57,840 Speaker 2: band Feedback. They were pretty big in Venezuela in the eighties. 117 00:07:58,400 --> 00:08:02,800 Speaker 2: They recorded three albums, festivals, and even appeared on TV 118 00:08:02,920 --> 00:08:03,520 Speaker 2: talk shows. 119 00:08:05,560 --> 00:08:06,000 Speaker 7: I guess the. 120 00:08:06,120 --> 00:08:09,320 Speaker 3: Labor poor heave. 121 00:08:10,280 --> 00:08:11,240 Speaker 4: Horrible well. 122 00:08:11,280 --> 00:08:18,000 Speaker 2: Feedback usually stuck to rockier stuff. They weren't afraid of 123 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:20,520 Speaker 2: a left field cover choice, oh. 124 00:08:21,960 --> 00:08:23,760 Speaker 8: Mister pols Mass. 125 00:08:28,400 --> 00:08:31,360 Speaker 2: Such as a version of the Motown hit Please Mister Postman. 126 00:08:33,320 --> 00:08:35,960 Speaker 2: But even when Luis was living out his rock star dreams, 127 00:08:36,280 --> 00:08:39,160 Speaker 2: there were rumors. I learned about them from a local 128 00:08:39,280 --> 00:08:41,760 Speaker 2: journalist who did some digging on the ground in Venezuela. 129 00:08:42,600 --> 00:08:45,160 Speaker 2: She spoke to a friend in the music industry, and 130 00:08:45,280 --> 00:08:49,240 Speaker 2: without naming names, said she'd heard about allegations of sexual abuse. 131 00:08:49,600 --> 00:08:53,360 Speaker 9: The conversation was something like, if I asked to you 132 00:08:53,480 --> 00:08:57,679 Speaker 9: about a venezuela and guitarist move away, who comes to 133 00:08:57,800 --> 00:09:02,760 Speaker 9: your mind? And these musu chan played well, I imagine 134 00:09:02,880 --> 00:09:03,800 Speaker 9: the feedback guy. 135 00:09:06,240 --> 00:09:09,360 Speaker 2: Despite their early promise, feedback never hit the big time. 136 00:09:10,120 --> 00:09:12,600 Speaker 2: So it seems Louise pursued a load of other ventures 137 00:09:12,600 --> 00:09:16,440 Speaker 2: in Venezuela. Around the mid two thousands, he moved to Miami, 138 00:09:16,760 --> 00:09:27,240 Speaker 2: got married, and kept pursuing music. We contacted some people 139 00:09:27,280 --> 00:09:32,000 Speaker 2: who knew Louise personally, and reviews were mixed. One described 140 00:09:32,040 --> 00:09:34,640 Speaker 2: him as someone you either love or hate, and another 141 00:09:34,800 --> 00:09:37,320 Speaker 2: wanted to stop recording as soon as I asked about 142 00:09:37,400 --> 00:09:40,920 Speaker 2: Louise's photography career, because it's when Louise puts down his 143 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:44,520 Speaker 2: guitar and picks up a camera that things really start 144 00:09:44,600 --> 00:09:52,240 Speaker 2: to change. A YouTube video from that time catches my attention. 145 00:09:53,120 --> 00:09:56,280 Speaker 2: Working under the Monika Universe one three seven studios, which 146 00:09:56,320 --> 00:09:59,880 Speaker 2: he still uses today, Louise posts a video his film 147 00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:06,679 Speaker 2: of a Miami runway show. This seems to be the 148 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:10,600 Speaker 2: first time Luis interacts professionally with the world of modeling 149 00:10:11,080 --> 00:10:13,400 Speaker 2: and the glamor world is where Luise finds his brand 150 00:10:13,440 --> 00:10:17,199 Speaker 2: new career, first as a model promoter and then as 151 00:10:17,200 --> 00:10:18,439 Speaker 2: an aspiring photographer. 152 00:10:21,800 --> 00:10:25,199 Speaker 10: So I first met Louise Goilmez probably in twenty fifteen, 153 00:10:25,559 --> 00:10:29,000 Speaker 10: and he was inquiring about private training for photography. 154 00:10:29,880 --> 00:10:33,120 Speaker 2: That's Nino Batista. Back in the day. Nino was a 155 00:10:33,200 --> 00:10:36,559 Speaker 2: big glamor photographer and in the mid twenty tens he 156 00:10:36,679 --> 00:10:39,959 Speaker 2: was running a side hustle in photography workshops. That's how 157 00:10:40,000 --> 00:10:41,280 Speaker 2: he and Louise first met. 158 00:10:42,120 --> 00:10:44,880 Speaker 10: He was pretty new at photography, like he didn't get it, 159 00:10:45,160 --> 00:10:47,160 Speaker 10: which is fine, that's what people come to my classes for. 160 00:10:47,559 --> 00:10:49,840 Speaker 10: And he came out to a lighting worksho a small one, 161 00:10:49,960 --> 00:10:52,480 Speaker 10: probably about five or six attendees. 162 00:10:52,200 --> 00:10:53,199 Speaker 4: That I did at my house. 163 00:10:54,720 --> 00:10:57,280 Speaker 2: Nino had booked a few models for the training photographers 164 00:10:57,320 --> 00:10:58,720 Speaker 2: to shoot, and I. 165 00:10:58,720 --> 00:11:04,719 Speaker 10: Did notice that was It's hard to say, but do 166 00:11:04,840 --> 00:11:06,960 Speaker 10: I remember exactly, No, But do I feel like maybe 167 00:11:07,040 --> 00:11:10,480 Speaker 10: he was engaging with my models in ways I would 168 00:11:10,480 --> 00:11:11,400 Speaker 10: consider unprofessional? 169 00:11:12,080 --> 00:11:16,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, Nino does remember Louise making some inappropriate comments to 170 00:11:16,320 --> 00:11:16,880 Speaker 2: the models. 171 00:11:17,200 --> 00:11:18,880 Speaker 10: I think a model just kind of gave him a 172 00:11:19,440 --> 00:11:21,679 Speaker 10: tight liped smile, a little quick back kind of to 173 00:11:21,760 --> 00:11:25,040 Speaker 10: whatever he said, and I just remember thinking, got to 174 00:11:25,080 --> 00:11:30,000 Speaker 10: watch this one. Another thing I did notice, as I recall, 175 00:11:30,160 --> 00:11:32,559 Speaker 10: was he didn't pay a whole lot of attention to 176 00:11:32,679 --> 00:11:35,400 Speaker 10: the instruction. It kind of fit his sort of archetype 177 00:11:35,400 --> 00:11:37,400 Speaker 10: that I already pegged him on, which is I just 178 00:11:37,440 --> 00:11:40,160 Speaker 10: want to show up and shoot girls. Everything was about 179 00:11:40,280 --> 00:11:43,080 Speaker 10: the girls. Now that's not uncommon. Lots of guys entering 180 00:11:43,120 --> 00:11:43,959 Speaker 10: the field are like that. 181 00:11:44,600 --> 00:11:46,920 Speaker 2: Nino thought Luis was probably a guy with a camera 182 00:11:47,320 --> 00:11:50,199 Speaker 2: or a GWC. It's a term in the glamor business 183 00:11:50,240 --> 00:11:52,719 Speaker 2: for someone who, as Nino puts it, just wants to 184 00:11:52,720 --> 00:11:53,319 Speaker 2: shoot girls. 185 00:11:53,920 --> 00:11:56,640 Speaker 10: So the concept of guy with camera GWC is a 186 00:11:57,480 --> 00:12:00,760 Speaker 10: you know, it's an insulting term, to be clear, okay, 187 00:12:01,360 --> 00:12:02,160 Speaker 10: and it should. 188 00:12:01,960 --> 00:12:07,400 Speaker 2: Be, Nino says. These men are everywhere in glamour, guys 189 00:12:07,440 --> 00:12:11,160 Speaker 2: who get into photography with zero qualifications, and often not 190 00:12:11,360 --> 00:12:12,960 Speaker 2: for their love of lighting and lenses. 191 00:12:13,679 --> 00:12:17,000 Speaker 10: This is not a new problem men, especially older men, 192 00:12:17,400 --> 00:12:20,040 Speaker 10: praying on young women. This is a problem going back 193 00:12:20,080 --> 00:12:20,880 Speaker 10: to the dawn of time. 194 00:12:25,200 --> 00:12:27,679 Speaker 2: Think about what it took to call yourself a photographer 195 00:12:27,760 --> 00:12:30,520 Speaker 2: in the nineties when Echo was breaking onto the scene. 196 00:12:31,040 --> 00:12:34,319 Speaker 2: All that training, not to mention the professional accolades that 197 00:12:34,360 --> 00:12:37,760 Speaker 2: Greg Gorman had. Luis Gomez didn't have any of that, 198 00:12:38,600 --> 00:12:41,880 Speaker 2: but he had the right equipment, a bit of training, 199 00:12:42,320 --> 00:12:46,200 Speaker 2: and stars in his eyes. After the workshop, Nino says 200 00:12:46,240 --> 00:12:49,200 Speaker 2: that Luis kept in touch with him enthusiastically via Facebook. 201 00:12:49,679 --> 00:12:51,800 Speaker 2: He even suggested they have a jam, come. 202 00:12:51,720 --> 00:12:53,720 Speaker 10: Over and let's play guitar. You know, we should start 203 00:12:53,720 --> 00:12:57,040 Speaker 10: a band, and I'm like, no, we shouldn't. Kind of 204 00:12:57,040 --> 00:12:58,679 Speaker 10: blue sunshine on my butt and said he wants to 205 00:12:58,720 --> 00:12:59,600 Speaker 10: be like me, he wants to. 206 00:12:59,679 --> 00:13:00,760 Speaker 4: Do work like I doe. 207 00:13:01,240 --> 00:13:04,199 Speaker 2: Nino was trying to keep his distance. Louise had left 208 00:13:04,200 --> 00:13:07,680 Speaker 2: a bad taste in his mouth. But the year after 209 00:13:07,760 --> 00:13:10,280 Speaker 2: the workshop, he says, Louise had news. 210 00:13:12,200 --> 00:13:12,960 Speaker 4: He said, Hey, I've. 211 00:13:12,880 --> 00:13:15,600 Speaker 10: Got to publication that I've started some small. 212 00:13:15,480 --> 00:13:20,480 Speaker 2: Magazine, Universe one three seven magazine. It was self published, 213 00:13:20,920 --> 00:13:24,199 Speaker 2: several pages of glamor models pictured clothed and in bikinis, 214 00:13:24,440 --> 00:13:28,640 Speaker 2: along with short articles and interviews. Luis has somehow made 215 00:13:28,679 --> 00:13:33,400 Speaker 2: the leap from GWC to magazine publisher. At first, I 216 00:13:33,559 --> 00:13:36,440 Speaker 2: was confused by how someone could just start their own magazine, 217 00:13:36,960 --> 00:13:39,760 Speaker 2: but Nino tells me that self published magazines are common. 218 00:13:40,200 --> 00:13:43,640 Speaker 2: They're everywhere in the industry and the Internet is the 219 00:13:43,720 --> 00:13:48,280 Speaker 2: reason why. The first thing you need to understand is 220 00:13:48,320 --> 00:13:50,520 Speaker 2: that glamor magazines aren't like they used to be. 221 00:13:51,200 --> 00:13:53,080 Speaker 10: In the old days of magazine was a big production, 222 00:13:53,160 --> 00:13:54,719 Speaker 10: there was a lot of costs involved. 223 00:13:54,880 --> 00:13:56,679 Speaker 2: But today it's very different. 224 00:13:57,080 --> 00:14:01,280 Speaker 10: That process has become so streamlined and easy. Now you 225 00:14:01,320 --> 00:14:03,640 Speaker 10: can put together a layout and you can flow some 226 00:14:03,720 --> 00:14:06,520 Speaker 10: texts and some photos, a couple graphics, cheesy logo, and 227 00:14:06,679 --> 00:14:08,680 Speaker 10: export PDFs and now you are publishing. 228 00:14:08,400 --> 00:14:11,840 Speaker 2: Magazines basically, just like how any guy with a camera 229 00:14:11,920 --> 00:14:14,560 Speaker 2: can call himself a photographer, any guy with the right 230 00:14:14,640 --> 00:14:16,880 Speaker 2: software can make a PDF and call it a magazine. 231 00:14:17,440 --> 00:14:22,680 Speaker 2: Including Luis Gomez. In twenty sixteen alone, he created eight 232 00:14:22,920 --> 00:14:27,840 Speaker 2: different self published magazines. Today he has even more. On 233 00:14:27,960 --> 00:14:33,080 Speaker 2: his website, he claims to publish fifteen magazines. So what's 234 00:14:33,120 --> 00:14:35,320 Speaker 2: the point of making your own magazines? What does that 235 00:14:35,400 --> 00:14:35,920 Speaker 2: even get you? 236 00:14:36,760 --> 00:14:39,760 Speaker 10: It's just ragging rates. Like you know, I run a magazine, 237 00:14:40,160 --> 00:14:42,480 Speaker 10: and if you're new to the industry, new model, you 238 00:14:42,560 --> 00:14:44,400 Speaker 10: might think that means a lot more than it does. 239 00:14:45,160 --> 00:14:49,280 Speaker 2: It's all about building a reputation to a model. He 240 00:14:49,400 --> 00:14:53,400 Speaker 2: looked more legit than ever, but that reputation was built 241 00:14:53,440 --> 00:14:57,479 Speaker 2: on a pile of PDFs. With his self published magazines 242 00:14:57,560 --> 00:15:00,400 Speaker 2: and a crash course in photography under his belt. Louise 243 00:15:00,520 --> 00:15:03,880 Speaker 2: is all set, but now he needs models to shoot. 244 00:15:06,720 --> 00:15:08,560 Speaker 2: I managed to track down a model who shot with 245 00:15:08,640 --> 00:15:11,800 Speaker 2: him around this time. Jenny's a former glamor model from 246 00:15:11,800 --> 00:15:14,880 Speaker 2: the States. She's left the industry now, so asked us 247 00:15:14,920 --> 00:15:17,800 Speaker 2: to give her a fake name. The Luis Gomez she 248 00:15:17,960 --> 00:15:20,840 Speaker 2: describes shooting with is very different to the man the 249 00:15:21,000 --> 00:15:22,680 Speaker 2: UK Glammor models told me about. 250 00:15:23,600 --> 00:15:25,840 Speaker 4: He seemed very passive. 251 00:15:26,760 --> 00:15:28,240 Speaker 11: It was whatever I said went. 252 00:15:29,480 --> 00:15:33,480 Speaker 2: I'm surprised, Jenny says Louise let her take complete control 253 00:15:33,560 --> 00:15:36,640 Speaker 2: of their shoot. I was like, listen, here's the deal. 254 00:15:36,760 --> 00:15:39,200 Speaker 11: You're gonna let me pick out the photos that get published. 255 00:15:40,040 --> 00:15:42,880 Speaker 6: I'm going to bring my girlfriend on set. 256 00:15:43,160 --> 00:15:44,480 Speaker 4: I am going to have a drink. 257 00:15:45,920 --> 00:15:49,600 Speaker 2: And when Jenny nearly canceled their second shoot together, she says, 258 00:15:49,680 --> 00:15:51,520 Speaker 2: Luis begged her to reconsider. 259 00:15:51,920 --> 00:15:54,160 Speaker 4: He's like, no, no, no, we can't cancel this shoot. 260 00:15:54,200 --> 00:15:58,480 Speaker 1: You're like the only one I had lined up for this. Please, please, please, 261 00:15:58,560 --> 00:15:59,440 Speaker 1: I'll do whatever you want. 262 00:16:00,200 --> 00:16:03,840 Speaker 2: Sometime between twenty sixteen and twenty twenty something in bold 263 00:16:03,880 --> 00:16:07,360 Speaker 2: and Louise to start behaving very differently, and I think 264 00:16:07,520 --> 00:16:13,080 Speaker 2: I know what that is. On September third, twenty seventeen, 265 00:16:13,560 --> 00:16:16,400 Speaker 2: Luise posts a picture on Facebook of a model in lingerie. 266 00:16:16,840 --> 00:16:19,360 Speaker 2: It's a typical glamour shot, but there's something new in 267 00:16:19,400 --> 00:16:23,080 Speaker 2: the top left corner, a familiar bunny eared logo. The 268 00:16:23,160 --> 00:16:24,800 Speaker 2: post's caption reads, my. 269 00:16:25,040 --> 00:16:27,200 Speaker 8: New editorial lim Playboy. 270 00:16:28,440 --> 00:16:31,560 Speaker 2: This is the moment Luis Gomez first seems to claim 271 00:16:31,680 --> 00:16:36,840 Speaker 2: to be a Playboy photographer. This is the moment everything changes. 272 00:17:01,000 --> 00:17:03,680 Speaker 12: So I shot with this photographer and his name was 273 00:17:03,760 --> 00:17:04,560 Speaker 12: Louise Gomez. 274 00:17:05,200 --> 00:17:08,000 Speaker 2: This is Izzy, not her real name. Her words are 275 00:17:08,080 --> 00:17:08,919 Speaker 2: voiced by a natta. 276 00:17:09,400 --> 00:17:12,080 Speaker 12: His name came up, and he had all these credentials, 277 00:17:12,119 --> 00:17:14,680 Speaker 12: he had the publications behind him, So for me it 278 00:17:14,760 --> 00:17:17,920 Speaker 12: was exciting. I was assured up and down that he 279 00:17:18,040 --> 00:17:20,640 Speaker 12: had connections, that he knew everyone. 280 00:17:22,040 --> 00:17:26,040 Speaker 2: In twenty seventeen, Izzy says Luise offered her an opportunity 281 00:17:26,119 --> 00:17:28,879 Speaker 2: to shoot for Playboy, and she jumped at the chance. 282 00:17:32,000 --> 00:17:34,240 Speaker 12: I ended up doing this full photo shoot for hours 283 00:17:34,280 --> 00:17:38,800 Speaker 12: at his house. I remember being coaxed a little like 284 00:17:38,920 --> 00:17:40,960 Speaker 12: some of the poses and things. I was just I 285 00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:43,560 Speaker 12: was not super comfortable with. They were a little more 286 00:17:45,240 --> 00:17:47,840 Speaker 12: open than I would have liked, but you know, I 287 00:17:47,960 --> 00:17:49,080 Speaker 12: was told this was what needed. 288 00:17:48,840 --> 00:17:49,240 Speaker 8: To be shot. 289 00:17:49,720 --> 00:17:51,520 Speaker 12: And then I think it was at the end of 290 00:17:51,560 --> 00:17:54,440 Speaker 12: the shoot. I remember sitting at his table and you know, 291 00:17:54,840 --> 00:17:58,960 Speaker 12: just being told I can get you on any Playboy 292 00:17:59,000 --> 00:18:02,040 Speaker 12: cover you want. And I'm like, oh, my god, that's 293 00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:04,760 Speaker 12: amazing these photos, you know, they're that good. 294 00:18:04,840 --> 00:18:05,360 Speaker 2: I'm that good. 295 00:18:05,480 --> 00:18:10,440 Speaker 12: Like I was excited, and then it became something else. 296 00:18:10,880 --> 00:18:14,040 Speaker 12: He reached out, I think, and grabbed my hand and 297 00:18:14,160 --> 00:18:17,520 Speaker 12: instantly my heart sunk and I'm like, oh, boundaries, Well, 298 00:18:17,640 --> 00:18:22,080 Speaker 12: what's going on? And you know, he said, yeah, I 299 00:18:22,160 --> 00:18:24,480 Speaker 12: can really help you, like I want to help you. 300 00:18:24,880 --> 00:18:27,280 Speaker 12: I want to skyrocket your career, like take you to 301 00:18:27,359 --> 00:18:30,760 Speaker 12: the next level. So you know, basically, you can do 302 00:18:30,960 --> 00:18:33,960 Speaker 12: me some favors. And then i kind of caught on 303 00:18:34,040 --> 00:18:36,480 Speaker 12: to what was going on, and I'm like, oh, no, 304 00:18:37,040 --> 00:18:39,840 Speaker 12: that's what this is. I'm like, no, you told me 305 00:18:39,880 --> 00:18:42,080 Speaker 12: you could get me into Playboy. That's why I'm here today. 306 00:18:43,840 --> 00:18:46,960 Speaker 2: This is the earliest allegation I've heard of Luise requesting 307 00:18:47,040 --> 00:18:50,480 Speaker 2: sexual favors in exchange for promises of getting published in Playboy. 308 00:18:51,320 --> 00:18:55,359 Speaker 12: I said no, I'm sorry, I don't want to, and 309 00:18:55,440 --> 00:18:58,119 Speaker 12: he said, well, I can get these photos in a 310 00:18:58,200 --> 00:19:02,800 Speaker 12: small publication. I said, said, well, what's the publication and 311 00:19:02,960 --> 00:19:04,359 Speaker 12: he showed me and it was nothing. It was like 312 00:19:04,440 --> 00:19:07,480 Speaker 12: a nothing magazine. I don't want to be in it. 313 00:19:07,520 --> 00:19:10,800 Speaker 12: I said, I came here to shoot for Playboy and 314 00:19:10,920 --> 00:19:13,399 Speaker 12: he said, well, I told you what it is, and 315 00:19:14,200 --> 00:19:18,280 Speaker 12: I was like, okay, well, I guess i'll take the publication. 316 00:19:18,880 --> 00:19:21,240 Speaker 2: Is These photos ended up in one of Luis's self 317 00:19:21,280 --> 00:19:22,280 Speaker 2: published magazines. 318 00:19:22,920 --> 00:19:25,720 Speaker 12: I remember the publication coming out and how goofy and 319 00:19:26,040 --> 00:19:29,320 Speaker 12: embarrassing it was. I didn't even want to post about it. 320 00:19:29,440 --> 00:19:32,920 Speaker 12: It was an awful magazine. I just I remember being 321 00:19:33,000 --> 00:19:33,480 Speaker 12: so upset. 322 00:19:40,240 --> 00:19:42,919 Speaker 2: In just one year, the balance seems to have shifted 323 00:19:42,960 --> 00:19:47,400 Speaker 2: in Luise's favor. He was no longer a nobody. Now 324 00:19:47,640 --> 00:19:50,399 Speaker 2: he had power and he was ready to use it. 325 00:19:53,080 --> 00:19:55,520 Speaker 2: A lot of networking in the glamour industry is done 326 00:19:55,560 --> 00:19:58,879 Speaker 2: at what's called shoot camps. There are events where models 327 00:19:58,920 --> 00:20:03,040 Speaker 2: and photographers can meet, mingle, and expand their portfolios. They 328 00:20:03,080 --> 00:20:05,280 Speaker 2: can be up to a week long and are often 329 00:20:05,359 --> 00:20:10,119 Speaker 2: held at all inclusive luxury hotels in exotic locations. By 330 00:20:10,200 --> 00:20:14,200 Speaker 2: twenty eighteen, Luise was becoming one of their main attractions, 331 00:20:14,920 --> 00:20:17,080 Speaker 2: but he was also gaining a reputation. 332 00:20:19,560 --> 00:20:22,399 Speaker 1: I was specifically told not to work with Luis. 333 00:20:22,480 --> 00:20:23,000 Speaker 10: Go means. 334 00:20:23,680 --> 00:20:25,360 Speaker 4: I was, like, everybody keeps. 335 00:20:25,200 --> 00:20:28,359 Speaker 2: Saying that that's Alex. One of the many models I 336 00:20:28,440 --> 00:20:32,240 Speaker 2: spoke to who attended events with Luis over the years, they. 337 00:20:32,200 --> 00:20:35,800 Speaker 1: Basically told me, you know, he has a tendency of 338 00:20:36,560 --> 00:20:39,840 Speaker 1: trying to sleep with the models or getting ultimatums. I 339 00:20:40,080 --> 00:20:44,480 Speaker 1: was just like, okay, I mean, he's got great work, 340 00:20:44,600 --> 00:20:47,320 Speaker 1: but you know, I'm not going to put myself at risk. 341 00:20:47,840 --> 00:20:51,040 Speaker 1: So I legit just did not work with him. Yeah, 342 00:20:51,119 --> 00:20:51,880 Speaker 1: that's not my scene. 343 00:20:52,960 --> 00:20:55,480 Speaker 2: But that didn't seem to put off event organizers. 344 00:20:58,320 --> 00:21:00,920 Speaker 4: He said he had access to major publics, which meant 345 00:21:01,000 --> 00:21:03,760 Speaker 4: him coming to the event guaranteed that anyone he shot 346 00:21:03,840 --> 00:21:09,440 Speaker 4: with was published in Playboy. His associations are vital to 347 00:21:09,600 --> 00:21:10,040 Speaker 4: his reach. 348 00:21:11,800 --> 00:21:14,080 Speaker 2: This is a source who attended many shoot camps with 349 00:21:14,200 --> 00:21:17,040 Speaker 2: Louise and witnessed his behavior there. She doesn't want to 350 00:21:17,040 --> 00:21:19,399 Speaker 2: be identified or named, and her words are voiced by 351 00:21:19,400 --> 00:21:22,240 Speaker 2: an actor. The source tells me about an incident she 352 00:21:22,359 --> 00:21:25,000 Speaker 2: witnessed at a twenty eighteen event where Louise was the 353 00:21:25,080 --> 00:21:27,960 Speaker 2: star attraction. A model had been shooting. 354 00:21:27,640 --> 00:21:32,080 Speaker 4: With him, and this girl comes running and crying out 355 00:21:32,119 --> 00:21:35,000 Speaker 4: of the bedroom saying that Louise attacked her. All of 356 00:21:35,040 --> 00:21:37,359 Speaker 4: these women are now trying to comfort and protect this 357 00:21:37,480 --> 00:21:43,600 Speaker 4: young girl. She was eighteen. Louise was asked to leave, 358 00:21:44,359 --> 00:21:46,400 Speaker 4: and he refused to leave the property because he didn't 359 00:21:46,440 --> 00:21:48,879 Speaker 4: have all of his equipment. So you know, you had 360 00:21:48,920 --> 00:21:52,000 Speaker 4: people going up trying to locate and gather his equipment, 361 00:21:52,080 --> 00:21:53,840 Speaker 4: and you know, throwing it out on the law and saying, 362 00:21:54,160 --> 00:21:58,159 Speaker 4: don't ever fucking come back. How dare you? We trusted you, 363 00:21:58,960 --> 00:22:00,960 Speaker 4: and if you don't leave, the authorities will be called. 364 00:22:01,720 --> 00:22:03,280 Speaker 4: And he packed up his stuff. 365 00:22:03,080 --> 00:22:04,840 Speaker 11: And he left, and that was it. 366 00:22:07,280 --> 00:22:10,280 Speaker 2: Seven other women from that same event then came forward 367 00:22:10,359 --> 00:22:12,119 Speaker 2: with accusations against Luise. 368 00:22:12,720 --> 00:22:15,480 Speaker 4: It became this entire thing where these other women came in, 369 00:22:15,720 --> 00:22:18,679 Speaker 4: like this morning, he said that to me last night, 370 00:22:18,800 --> 00:22:21,080 Speaker 4: he said that to me yesterday. He made me feel 371 00:22:21,119 --> 00:22:22,920 Speaker 4: like if I didn't sleep with him, that I would 372 00:22:22,960 --> 00:22:23,720 Speaker 4: never be a model. 373 00:22:24,320 --> 00:22:27,600 Speaker 2: They all made accusations that will sound depressingly familiar to 374 00:22:27,680 --> 00:22:30,680 Speaker 2: you by now, level pushing and requesting sexual. 375 00:22:30,440 --> 00:22:33,080 Speaker 4: Favors, and he was banned right then, right there. 376 00:22:37,560 --> 00:22:42,239 Speaker 2: Banning Luise came at a cost. His magazine connections had 377 00:22:42,320 --> 00:22:44,200 Speaker 2: been a big draw for the models. 378 00:22:44,840 --> 00:22:49,919 Speaker 4: They want Playboy Maxim fhm. They want these major brand deals. 379 00:22:50,920 --> 00:22:54,080 Speaker 2: Other photographers just didn't seem to be as established. 380 00:22:54,600 --> 00:22:57,080 Speaker 4: None of them have the reach that Louis Gomez has. 381 00:22:57,840 --> 00:23:01,360 Speaker 4: He's not a morally sound person, but he is connected 382 00:23:01,680 --> 00:23:03,480 Speaker 4: very deep in the publication world. 383 00:23:03,960 --> 00:23:08,720 Speaker 2: So shockingly, the event organizers invited Luis back on the 384 00:23:08,800 --> 00:23:12,720 Speaker 2: condition that he wouldn't behave inappropriately with any more models. 385 00:23:13,600 --> 00:23:16,639 Speaker 2: But according to the source, Luise was immediately up to 386 00:23:16,720 --> 00:23:19,800 Speaker 2: his old tricks, and when he was confronted, he played 387 00:23:19,840 --> 00:23:22,360 Speaker 2: the victim and made excuse after excuse. 388 00:23:23,560 --> 00:23:26,280 Speaker 4: I didn't do that. I didn't, I wouldn't, I can't. 389 00:23:26,359 --> 00:23:28,920 Speaker 4: It's not me. He was crying, and he was saying 390 00:23:28,960 --> 00:23:31,159 Speaker 4: that he doesn't want his wife to find out. He 391 00:23:31,320 --> 00:23:33,840 Speaker 4: loves his wife. She would leave him if she found out. 392 00:23:34,720 --> 00:23:37,240 Speaker 4: I think English is his third language, so he uses 393 00:23:37,400 --> 00:23:41,160 Speaker 4: that to his advantage, making it seem like he doesn't understand, 394 00:23:41,359 --> 00:23:45,240 Speaker 4: or he doesn't comprehend, or he doesn't remember certain words, 395 00:23:45,520 --> 00:23:48,600 Speaker 4: or oh, I'm sorry, I'm foreign. That's not what I 396 00:23:48,680 --> 00:23:52,320 Speaker 4: meant my English isn't very good. It's a lie. He's 397 00:23:52,480 --> 00:23:56,159 Speaker 4: very fluent in English. He understands and he speaks it 398 00:23:56,760 --> 00:24:05,280 Speaker 4: as well as you and I. He plays stupid. You 399 00:24:05,400 --> 00:24:07,680 Speaker 4: know who he is because of his pattern of behavior. 400 00:24:08,359 --> 00:24:10,440 Speaker 4: You can reach across the globe and find out that 401 00:24:10,560 --> 00:24:13,480 Speaker 4: he has done the same thing in multiple countries to 402 00:24:13,640 --> 00:24:16,840 Speaker 4: multiple girls, and it goes on and on and on 403 00:24:17,240 --> 00:24:17,520 Speaker 4: and on. 404 00:24:19,560 --> 00:24:23,600 Speaker 2: Allegedly, it only took Luise two events to get banned again. 405 00:24:24,240 --> 00:24:27,200 Speaker 4: He will not change the people that are like him 406 00:24:27,520 --> 00:24:30,400 Speaker 4: or the people that enable him. They are the same. 407 00:24:37,320 --> 00:24:40,840 Speaker 2: So who are the people Luise works with? My producer 408 00:24:40,880 --> 00:24:43,000 Speaker 2: Eleanor and I go to Luis's website to try and 409 00:24:43,080 --> 00:24:48,720 Speaker 2: find out. There's a page of collaborators and partners, so 410 00:24:48,800 --> 00:24:52,240 Speaker 2: it's like a bio of each collaborator. There's loads of photographers, 411 00:24:53,080 --> 00:24:58,520 Speaker 2: another photographer, photographer, photographer. On his website, Luise has posted 412 00:24:58,600 --> 00:25:01,720 Speaker 2: thumb nails of eighty so uciates and collaborators from around 413 00:25:01,760 --> 00:25:04,159 Speaker 2: the world, each of them with a little bio in 414 00:25:04,240 --> 00:25:07,280 Speaker 2: English and Spanish about what they do and their relationship 415 00:25:07,320 --> 00:25:11,560 Speaker 2: with his business universe. One three seven studios. We reached 416 00:25:11,560 --> 00:25:15,200 Speaker 2: out to all eighty of these so called collaborators. Some 417 00:25:15,359 --> 00:25:17,560 Speaker 2: of them said they hardly knew Luis at all, that 418 00:25:17,640 --> 00:25:19,800 Speaker 2: they just met him once and was surprised to be 419 00:25:19,880 --> 00:25:25,560 Speaker 2: on his website. Others, yes, little shit. 420 00:25:25,800 --> 00:25:28,400 Speaker 8: Where do I start with Lewis? Oh my god, it's 421 00:25:28,680 --> 00:25:31,440 Speaker 8: way darker and way deeper than I could ever imagine. 422 00:25:32,080 --> 00:25:37,280 Speaker 2: But there's one collaborator who really catches my eye. Oh 423 00:25:37,760 --> 00:25:42,720 Speaker 2: this is interesting. Niz Operations, director of Universe one three 424 00:25:42,760 --> 00:25:46,680 Speaker 2: seven studios in the UK. I recognize niz His full 425 00:25:46,800 --> 00:25:50,160 Speaker 2: name is niz Uddin and he acted as Luis's fixer 426 00:25:50,280 --> 00:25:53,720 Speaker 2: in the UK. For a fee, he would help Louise 427 00:25:53,800 --> 00:25:58,119 Speaker 2: find models to shoot with. He said, okay, you. 428 00:25:58,160 --> 00:26:01,240 Speaker 4: Should book this news left the room and left me 429 00:26:01,880 --> 00:26:04,240 Speaker 4: on my own with that Louise. 430 00:26:05,640 --> 00:26:10,159 Speaker 7: This is our opportunity to for the first time speak 431 00:26:10,200 --> 00:26:14,920 Speaker 7: to someone who was close with Louise. I mean, we 432 00:26:15,080 --> 00:26:17,080 Speaker 7: kind of heard tale of this from the girls, but 433 00:26:17,200 --> 00:26:19,960 Speaker 7: it seems that Nis and Louise are no longer associated. 434 00:26:20,280 --> 00:26:22,199 Speaker 2: No, and I think we need to try and get 435 00:26:22,280 --> 00:26:22,879 Speaker 2: him on record. 436 00:26:44,440 --> 00:26:50,800 Speaker 11: Hi to all our Universe one three seven followers first 437 00:26:50,840 --> 00:26:52,160 Speaker 11: shoots in the UK. 438 00:26:53,080 --> 00:26:55,679 Speaker 2: By twenty twenty, niz Arden had worked in the British 439 00:26:55,720 --> 00:26:59,440 Speaker 2: glamour industry for years. He helped Luis Gomez, a photographer 440 00:26:59,480 --> 00:27:02,840 Speaker 2: living stylesands of miles away, make connections and book models 441 00:27:02,840 --> 00:27:05,200 Speaker 2: for shoots. Here's a clip of both of them, which 442 00:27:05,240 --> 00:27:07,960 Speaker 2: was posted to the Universe one through seven Studios Facebook. 443 00:27:08,280 --> 00:27:09,280 Speaker 2: You can even hear Louise. 444 00:27:10,560 --> 00:27:14,480 Speaker 11: We're in Newcastle upon Time, which is north east of England. 445 00:27:15,440 --> 00:27:15,720 Speaker 8: Okay. 446 00:27:22,280 --> 00:27:24,480 Speaker 2: But when the UK Glamor Models spoke to Nears about 447 00:27:24,480 --> 00:27:30,560 Speaker 2: their allegations, he opted to keep working with Louise. This 448 00:27:30,720 --> 00:27:33,159 Speaker 2: is an excerpt of Nears talking to hera, one of 449 00:27:33,200 --> 00:27:35,680 Speaker 2: the group's leaders, on a call that she recorded. 450 00:27:38,280 --> 00:27:42,159 Speaker 8: I called a girl who welcome takes female friends again. 451 00:27:42,400 --> 00:27:44,560 Speaker 13: Instead of doing that just do you know what I mean? Like, 452 00:27:44,600 --> 00:27:46,679 Speaker 13: instead of putting them in a position where they've got 453 00:27:46,720 --> 00:27:49,040 Speaker 13: to take a friend with them, just don't let it happen. 454 00:27:49,440 --> 00:27:51,440 Speaker 13: Why why do you why let a girl go into 455 00:27:51,480 --> 00:27:57,879 Speaker 13: that type of like environment O a shoe that just 456 00:27:57,880 --> 00:27:59,960 Speaker 13: shouldn't happen, Like no one should ever feel so I'm 457 00:28:00,080 --> 00:28:01,520 Speaker 13: say that they should have someone sat. 458 00:28:01,359 --> 00:28:03,920 Speaker 8: There with them. It's just it's just you know why, 459 00:28:04,320 --> 00:28:07,480 Speaker 8: people who know me, they know I'm in it for, 460 00:28:07,960 --> 00:28:10,800 Speaker 8: you know, the progress myself and make my money and 461 00:28:10,920 --> 00:28:13,120 Speaker 8: go home. I'm not in it for the pussy mate. 462 00:28:14,160 --> 00:28:16,080 Speaker 8: I'll be with my mid for twenty two years, so 463 00:28:16,600 --> 00:28:18,200 Speaker 8: I'm in it for the pussy at all. 464 00:28:20,280 --> 00:28:23,280 Speaker 2: So the models named and shamed Nis alongside Luise in 465 00:28:23,320 --> 00:28:26,360 Speaker 2: their big social media call out. I want to talk 466 00:28:26,400 --> 00:28:29,479 Speaker 2: to Nis about what happened in twenty twenty. Why did 467 00:28:29,520 --> 00:28:32,399 Speaker 2: he continue to work with Luis even after hearing the 468 00:28:32,440 --> 00:28:40,200 Speaker 2: women's allegations of abuse. Hi, yas that, Liz. I'm fully 469 00:28:40,280 --> 00:28:43,080 Speaker 2: expecting Nis to hang up on me, yes speaking, but 470 00:28:43,200 --> 00:28:45,320 Speaker 2: not only will he talk to me, he says he's 471 00:28:45,360 --> 00:28:47,680 Speaker 2: happy to be in the podcast. I'm not gonna lie. 472 00:28:47,880 --> 00:28:50,320 Speaker 2: It catches me off guard. If you're happy for me 473 00:28:50,440 --> 00:28:52,240 Speaker 2: to use this conversation as part of it, then we 474 00:28:52,280 --> 00:28:54,120 Speaker 2: can do that. And I've just there's a couple of 475 00:28:54,160 --> 00:28:56,040 Speaker 2: things that would be helpful to clear up while I've 476 00:28:56,080 --> 00:28:59,720 Speaker 2: got you now, then if that's okay, good, Niz says 477 00:28:59,760 --> 00:29:01,840 Speaker 2: he You've got a fee for every British model he 478 00:29:01,920 --> 00:29:03,000 Speaker 2: booked for Luise to shoot. 479 00:29:03,440 --> 00:29:06,320 Speaker 8: The way it worked Earie was also commission based. Okay, 480 00:29:07,360 --> 00:29:09,880 Speaker 8: I get the bookings and you've given me commission, so 481 00:29:09,920 --> 00:29:12,160 Speaker 8: it's my job to really puts it, promote it, and 482 00:29:12,280 --> 00:29:13,640 Speaker 8: really get it out there kind of thing. 483 00:29:14,000 --> 00:29:15,480 Speaker 2: What was your commission? What did you earn? 484 00:29:16,280 --> 00:29:18,880 Speaker 8: It can be anything from fifty pounds to one hundred pounds. 485 00:29:18,720 --> 00:29:20,920 Speaker 2: Per you know, peripheral. 486 00:29:21,600 --> 00:29:24,160 Speaker 8: Yeah, I'm sure with thetall bookings. 487 00:29:24,400 --> 00:29:26,440 Speaker 2: Were you aware of anything that Louise would ask for 488 00:29:27,080 --> 00:29:28,320 Speaker 2: instead of having payment? 489 00:29:30,960 --> 00:29:33,320 Speaker 8: I know he's sent me a pup from our escort 490 00:29:33,920 --> 00:29:36,200 Speaker 8: and he just say, you know, come from one service 491 00:29:36,280 --> 00:29:38,800 Speaker 8: or service or whatever. But I'm not. I don't want 492 00:29:38,800 --> 00:29:41,280 Speaker 8: to hear about it. It's between you lot. I don't 493 00:29:41,360 --> 00:29:43,120 Speaker 8: get involved in any of that. You know, it's not 494 00:29:43,240 --> 00:29:43,760 Speaker 8: our business. 495 00:29:44,760 --> 00:29:47,760 Speaker 2: There's no way of knowing when there's first heard allegations 496 00:29:47,760 --> 00:29:50,920 Speaker 2: against Louise, but I do know that he definitely heard. 497 00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:54,520 Speaker 2: By September twenty twenty, the models gave me a trove 498 00:29:54,600 --> 00:29:58,200 Speaker 2: of evidence proving that they told Nis about Luise's alleged behavior. 499 00:29:59,320 --> 00:30:02,240 Speaker 2: Emily sent this voice note to the WhatsApp group describing 500 00:30:02,280 --> 00:30:07,560 Speaker 2: a conversation she says she had with Niznis called me 501 00:30:07,840 --> 00:30:09,640 Speaker 2: the day after my shoot, in the morning of my shoe. 502 00:30:09,680 --> 00:30:10,920 Speaker 2: He had a forty minute conversation. 503 00:30:11,440 --> 00:30:12,800 Speaker 4: I said, he's a fucking pervert. 504 00:30:13,240 --> 00:30:15,120 Speaker 2: He crossed the line. He asked me if I was 505 00:30:15,120 --> 00:30:18,080 Speaker 2: going to sleep with him. I've also seen multiple text 506 00:30:18,120 --> 00:30:21,360 Speaker 2: messages in which models reach out to Niz informing him 507 00:30:21,400 --> 00:30:26,120 Speaker 2: about bad experiences while shooting with Luis Tony. 508 00:30:25,800 --> 00:30:29,640 Speaker 8: Good keep it quiet for a while, because he's thought 509 00:30:29,680 --> 00:30:32,480 Speaker 8: holding on to a lot of commissions. If he was 510 00:30:32,520 --> 00:30:36,920 Speaker 8: to get some books. Now, you'll back you into the 511 00:30:36,920 --> 00:30:37,560 Speaker 8: space for whatever. 512 00:30:38,040 --> 00:30:41,120 Speaker 2: And I wanted to see a single penny of it, right, Okay, 513 00:30:41,160 --> 00:30:43,000 Speaker 2: So you were concerned that you wouldn't get paid if 514 00:30:43,040 --> 00:30:44,760 Speaker 2: he was to disappear at that time. 515 00:30:45,680 --> 00:30:50,440 Speaker 8: Obviously the individuals wait two three days extra or even 516 00:30:50,520 --> 00:30:55,760 Speaker 8: during the shoot shoot, you know, wait a bit longer, okay. 517 00:30:55,800 --> 00:30:58,160 Speaker 2: I suppose on the from the model side, though, they 518 00:30:58,280 --> 00:31:00,800 Speaker 2: were very anxious to get the word out there to 519 00:31:00,880 --> 00:31:03,080 Speaker 2: stop those shoots. They didn't want any more models to 520 00:31:03,680 --> 00:31:05,000 Speaker 2: have to come into contact with him. 521 00:31:05,040 --> 00:31:09,880 Speaker 8: So I guess through when you know the money is 522 00:31:09,920 --> 00:31:10,920 Speaker 8: being elected. 523 00:31:11,280 --> 00:31:15,800 Speaker 2: Literally, what the fuck isn't it saying what I think 524 00:31:15,840 --> 00:31:19,400 Speaker 2: he's saying that he wanted the models to delay outing 525 00:31:19,480 --> 00:31:22,880 Speaker 2: an alleged sexual predator just so that he could get paid. 526 00:31:24,440 --> 00:31:28,479 Speaker 8: I had to right off frands worth of bookings. 527 00:31:29,160 --> 00:31:32,280 Speaker 2: Do you have any sympathies with the girls you know 528 00:31:32,360 --> 00:31:33,680 Speaker 2: from what they've been through with Louise. 529 00:31:36,480 --> 00:31:40,960 Speaker 8: You know, a week longer, you know, I could have 530 00:31:41,560 --> 00:31:45,240 Speaker 8: come out and said something, but they wait a few days. 531 00:31:46,760 --> 00:31:48,400 Speaker 2: Do you think there's any responsibility in that. 532 00:31:48,520 --> 00:31:53,440 Speaker 8: Or not at all? I mean they look cherone with you. 533 00:31:54,720 --> 00:31:58,360 Speaker 2: I'm only taking bookings. Take a chaperone with you. This 534 00:31:58,520 --> 00:32:02,240 Speaker 2: is all making me feel really uneasy undone. 535 00:32:02,720 --> 00:32:07,480 Speaker 8: Yeah, you know I deserve but why did I get done? 536 00:32:09,040 --> 00:32:11,320 Speaker 8: I'm the guy bang in the middle of all this, 537 00:32:12,280 --> 00:32:14,960 Speaker 8: you know, I'm the guy who is just taking bookings 538 00:32:15,000 --> 00:32:15,520 Speaker 8: and their fit. 539 00:32:18,800 --> 00:32:20,200 Speaker 2: What do you think the models have lost from this? 540 00:32:21,800 --> 00:32:24,360 Speaker 8: It would be a bit of a safety and security 541 00:32:24,400 --> 00:32:24,760 Speaker 8: I guess. 542 00:32:27,280 --> 00:32:28,600 Speaker 2: Do you think that would have had a long lasting 543 00:32:28,640 --> 00:32:29,280 Speaker 2: impact on them? 544 00:32:29,760 --> 00:32:33,480 Speaker 8: Of course, of course it's actress it caused. I mean, 545 00:32:33,880 --> 00:32:36,280 Speaker 8: I mean, if it supports me this kind of kind 546 00:32:36,280 --> 00:32:39,280 Speaker 8: of distress, I'm sure it's probably called them the same 547 00:32:39,320 --> 00:32:39,800 Speaker 8: thing as well. 548 00:32:41,040 --> 00:32:44,640 Speaker 2: I'm wasting for is to take some accountability. I'm giving 549 00:32:44,720 --> 00:32:48,440 Speaker 2: him every opportunity I can think of. Does it make 550 00:32:48,480 --> 00:32:50,680 Speaker 2: you regret anything that's happened over the pastor years. 551 00:32:51,200 --> 00:32:54,400 Speaker 8: I just wish I'd never been him. It's actually made 552 00:32:54,440 --> 00:32:57,680 Speaker 8: me put my up even more and makes me among that. 553 00:32:58,600 --> 00:33:00,760 Speaker 8: You know, no one could be trusted out there. 554 00:33:01,320 --> 00:33:03,400 Speaker 2: Niz just turns the spotlight back on himself. 555 00:33:04,120 --> 00:33:06,600 Speaker 8: I've lost my recation. I've lost a lot for its 556 00:33:06,640 --> 00:33:10,440 Speaker 8: out there people who trust me, you know, I've lost that. 557 00:33:12,800 --> 00:33:15,600 Speaker 2: To me, it feels like Nis is still seeing himself 558 00:33:15,640 --> 00:33:18,640 Speaker 2: as a victim in all this, whereas I can't help 559 00:33:18,680 --> 00:33:21,080 Speaker 2: but think of the models who say they suffered at 560 00:33:21,120 --> 00:33:24,640 Speaker 2: the hands of Luis Gomes. They were truly on their own. 561 00:33:32,920 --> 00:33:35,000 Speaker 2: I feel like I have a better picture of Luis 562 00:33:35,040 --> 00:33:39,280 Speaker 2: Gomes now. He started out like any old GWC, but 563 00:33:39,400 --> 00:33:42,120 Speaker 2: he teuted connections to Playboy, which made him a start, 564 00:33:43,040 --> 00:33:46,280 Speaker 2: and from twenty seventeen onwards, his behavior seems to have 565 00:33:46,480 --> 00:33:50,880 Speaker 2: escalated claims of sexual abuse with a consistent emo called 566 00:33:50,880 --> 00:33:52,800 Speaker 2: out by the women who say it's happened to them. 567 00:33:53,600 --> 00:33:56,240 Speaker 2: It's like the anonymous source said to me, you know 568 00:33:56,320 --> 00:33:59,120 Speaker 2: who he is because of his pattern of behavior. He 569 00:33:59,200 --> 00:34:02,560 Speaker 2: has done the same thing in multiple countries to multiple girls, 570 00:34:03,120 --> 00:34:04,680 Speaker 2: and it goes on and on. 571 00:34:05,320 --> 00:34:06,560 Speaker 8: And on and on. 572 00:34:12,600 --> 00:34:15,560 Speaker 2: My producer Eleanor and I are left feeling frustrated. 573 00:34:16,400 --> 00:34:20,520 Speaker 7: The accountability lies with the people that are enabling this 574 00:34:20,640 --> 00:34:24,480 Speaker 7: behavior as well nobody is doing anything about it, and 575 00:34:24,600 --> 00:34:27,360 Speaker 7: it's sort of like, oh, well, we'll just turn a 576 00:34:27,400 --> 00:34:31,359 Speaker 7: blind eye until he's arrested or until what Why why 577 00:34:31,840 --> 00:34:34,520 Speaker 7: aren't people taking this seriously? Why isn't there more of 578 00:34:34,560 --> 00:34:38,080 Speaker 7: a stand within the industry where people say, actually, that's 579 00:34:38,120 --> 00:34:40,120 Speaker 7: not on. And then. 580 00:34:41,600 --> 00:34:47,200 Speaker 2: We get a message it's from another collaborator. Hello, Ellie, 581 00:34:47,480 --> 00:34:49,960 Speaker 2: thanks so much for reaching out to me. Assuming I 582 00:34:50,000 --> 00:34:52,520 Speaker 2: am correct and who this person is, I have suffered 583 00:34:52,560 --> 00:34:55,399 Speaker 2: more than anyone at his hand. His offenses go well 584 00:34:55,440 --> 00:34:58,719 Speaker 2: beyond sexual harassment and abuse. I would like nothing more 585 00:34:58,880 --> 00:35:01,960 Speaker 2: than to see him behind the far turns out there's 586 00:35:02,000 --> 00:35:04,160 Speaker 2: a whole other side to what Luis is up to, 587 00:35:04,880 --> 00:35:12,280 Speaker 2: because the allegations aren't just sexual, they're financial too. Coming 588 00:35:12,360 --> 00:35:13,400 Speaker 2: up on the bunny. 589 00:35:13,120 --> 00:35:17,400 Speaker 7: Trap, he said, for five pounds, I could be the 590 00:35:17,400 --> 00:35:18,280 Speaker 7: playboy paymade. 591 00:35:18,760 --> 00:35:21,520 Speaker 3: Effectively, any woman can be a covered all these days 592 00:35:21,680 --> 00:35:23,040 Speaker 3: if you're willing to pony up the dell. 593 00:35:23,680 --> 00:35:26,759 Speaker 10: They call him the venezuela and tapeworm really, and he's 594 00:35:26,800 --> 00:35:30,160 Speaker 10: the definition of parasite. It's an organism that feeds off 595 00:35:30,200 --> 00:35:32,000 Speaker 10: of others to their detriment. 596 00:35:51,160 --> 00:35:53,319 Speaker 2: Thanks to the women who shared their stories with us, 597 00:35:54,120 --> 00:35:57,520 Speaker 2: we contacted Luis Gomez multiple times for comment, but we 598 00:35:57,680 --> 00:36:00,279 Speaker 2: never heard back. He has not been charged with any 599 00:36:00,320 --> 00:36:04,040 Speaker 2: crimes and is presumed innocent under the law. We also 600 00:36:04,120 --> 00:36:07,440 Speaker 2: sought comment from Playboy USA. They declined our request for 601 00:36:07,480 --> 00:36:09,840 Speaker 2: an interview, but you can hear their statement later in 602 00:36:09,880 --> 00:36:19,600 Speaker 2: the series. The Bonnie Trap is produced by Novel. For 603 00:36:19,760 --> 00:36:24,080 Speaker 2: more from Novel, visit novel dot Audio. The show is 604 00:36:24,080 --> 00:36:26,480 Speaker 2: hosted by me Ellie Flynn. You can find me on 605 00:36:26,560 --> 00:36:29,480 Speaker 2: social media by searching my name that's eb l i 606 00:36:29,640 --> 00:36:33,400 Speaker 2: E Fly double N. This season is produced by Eleanor 607 00:36:33,440 --> 00:36:36,880 Speaker 2: Biggs and written by me Ellie Flynn and Eleana Biggs. 608 00:36:37,400 --> 00:36:40,960 Speaker 2: Our assistant producer is Amalia Sortland, with additional production from 609 00:36:41,040 --> 00:36:44,919 Speaker 2: Lee Meyer and Saskia Collette. Additional research by Valeria Rocker. 610 00:36:45,440 --> 00:36:48,880 Speaker 2: The editors are Georgia Moody and Austin Mitchell. Our executive 611 00:36:48,920 --> 00:36:52,800 Speaker 2: producers are Max O'Brien and Craig Strachan. Our fact checker 612 00:36:52,880 --> 00:36:57,000 Speaker 2: is Frendall Fulton. Production management from Scherie Houston and Charlotte Wolf. 613 00:36:57,480 --> 00:37:01,560 Speaker 2: Sound design, mixing and scoring by Daniel Campsen and Nicholas Alexander. 614 00:37:02,000 --> 00:37:05,960 Speaker 2: Music supervision by Nicholas Alexander Eleanor Biggs and Max O'Brien. 615 00:37:06,200 --> 00:37:09,640 Speaker 2: Original music composed and performed by Jake Long, and additional 616 00:37:09,680 --> 00:37:14,120 Speaker 2: production by Nicholas Alexander, Louisa Gersteine and Daniel Kempson. The 617 00:37:14,280 --> 00:37:18,279 Speaker 2: series artwork was designed by Christina Limcold Willard Foxton, its 618 00:37:18,360 --> 00:37:22,040 Speaker 2: creative director of development. Izzy was played by Florian Claire 619 00:37:22,480 --> 00:37:25,920 Speaker 2: and the anonymous source was played by Maddie Ingram. Luisco 620 00:37:26,080 --> 00:37:29,319 Speaker 2: Mers was played by Juan Solari. The Venezuelan talk show 621 00:37:29,360 --> 00:37:31,000 Speaker 2: you heard was from Programma de Gala 622 00:37:40,160 --> 00:37:40,520 Speaker 4: Novel