Las Vegas Casinos Face Lawsuit Over Alleged Sex Trafficking Activities
Introduction to the Lawsuit
A civil lawsuit has been initiated in a Nevada state court targeting two Las Vegas casinos. The suit accuses these establishments of neglecting to act against an ongoing case of sex trafficking linked to a convicted individual named Nathan Chasing Horse.
The Casinos Involved
The complaint specifically names Boyd Gaming’s Cannery Casino and Station Casinos’ Santa Fe Station. It alleges that over an almost ten-year span, these properties permitted Chasing Horse to utilize their hotel rooms for trafficking purposes without intervention.
Details from the Plaintiffs
The plaintiffs, identified as M.L. and C.L. in legal documents, assert that they were exploited between 2014 and 2022. Their filing date, April 27, 2026, aligns with the sentencing of Chasing Horse, a former actor, to life imprisonment for trafficking and sexual abuse offenses.
The lawsuit describes how Chasing Horse, known for his role in “Dances With Wolves,” frequently reserved multiple rooms at the above-mentioned casinos, often receiving complimentary accommodations while committing repeated abuse.
Allegations of Casino Staff Awareness
The plaintiffs claim casino employees observed various warning signs including visible injuries on the victims, signs of exhaustion, limited freedom of movement, and the victims being closely supervised by Chasing Horse. They also alleged that staff noticed that the women were controlled on casino floors, restricted from freely interacting with employees, and in some cases, the staff even alerted Chasing Horse about police presence on the premises.
The lawsuit argues that the level of suspicious activity should have been enough to raise alarms, yet neither casino took responsibility to report these signs or safeguard the victims. Additionally, the lawsuit accuses the casinos of not having sufficient anti-trafficking training or enforcement procedures in place.
Exploitation Within “The Circle”
Chasing Horse is described as a self-proclaimed spiritual leader who purportedly used tactics such as manipulation, isolation, and violence to dominate victims within a group called “The Circle.” Prosecutors during his criminal trial stated that he exploited vulnerable Indigenous women and girls through coercion and psychological control.
The civil case further claims that victims were manipulated into believing that the abuse was part of a spiritual ritual and endured threats and physical harm. There are also allegations that some victims were forcibly tattooed with marks that could have been noticeable to hotel staff.
Legal Outcome and Next Steps
The plaintiffs are seeking both compensatory and punitive damages, though the specific amounts remain undisclosed. As of now, no court date has been set to hear the lawsuit.
