Gotham City brothel owner Frank Puleo denies running sex den out of bogus photography studio

Illegal sex, cocaine, hidden cash and saucy CCTV was allegedly on the menu at South Melbourne brothel Gotham City.

Gotham City Brothel owner Frank Puleo allegedly ran an illegal sex den out of a bogus photography studio.

The owner of “Australia’s best and only six-star brothel” has denied running an illegal sex den alongside his South Melbourne bordello, a court has heard.

Franco Puleo fronted Melbourne Magistrates’ Court via video link on Thursday, appearing from inside his glitzy brothel.

The Gotham City brothel boss is contesting 15 charges including recklessly carrying on a business as a sexual service provider without a licence and drug offences.

Police alleged Puleo ran an illicit sex den in a bogus photography studio behind his brothel.

Puleo’s lawyer told the court he wanted to make it clear his client was “strenuously” denying the charges and would continue to plead not guilty.

Victoria Police withdrew their application to declare the Ross St photography studio a proscribed brothel but are pressing on with charges.

The court heard at an earlier hearing that investigators have footage which allegedly shows Gotham City clients paying for services before “being escorted by lingerie-clad women” to the Ross St photography studio.

The studio is located directly behind the 24-hour Gotham City which offers basic sexual services at a rate of $350 an hour.

Police allegedly found cocaine, speed, MDMA and Kamagra oral jelly – used to maintain an erection – after raiding both premises in June 2019.

It’s alleged police also found a combined $65,290 hidden in a secret wall cavity and inside a safe in the Gotham City office.

The map route between Gotham City and the site of the alleged illicit Ross St brothel.

Police allegedly found Puleo in the office at the time of the raid.

Investigators also alleged there had been drug use and cocaine trafficking at Gotham City and that the hefty sum of cash was the proceeds of crime, the court was told.

Investigators’ suspicions regarding Gotham City were raised after police checking city brothel Top of the Town heard the workers make comments about Puleo’s alleged operation.

Puleo’s lawyer applied to have police hand over the full reports of their investigations that led to the raids, having previously received redacted versions.

Puleo’s lawyer also applied to have police hand back the CCTV hard-drive that was seized from Gotham City.

The lawyer proposed to compile the footage and show the relevant dates to police to make the footage easier to comprehend.

Magistrate Andrew Cappell ordered the release of the chief commissioner’s reports, except for a few redacted details and refused to order the CCTV be handed back.

“That type of footage would seriously bolster the prosecution case on these charges,” Mr Cappell said.

Puleo, who was also charged with for failing to have proper control and supervision of a brothel and deriving a material benefit from the earnings of sex work, will face court again in June.

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