MINNEAPOLIS – A St. Thomas University student who moved in fast circles in state Republican politics pleaded guilty for sex trafficking. Gisela Castro Medina, 20, admitted to recruiting teen-age girls for playboy GOP donor Anton Lazzaro and pimping them for sex At the time Medina was president of the College Republicans at St. Thomas, although the club later disavowed her and the university expelled her. The scandal broke in August 2021. The fall-out:
> Lazzaro, like Castro Medina, was indicted.
> Jennifer Carnahan, state Republican chair, was forced to resign for courting Lazarro for large donations to the party.
> Congressman Jim Hagedorn, of southern Minnesota, found himself having to answer for hobnobbing with Lazzaro and accepting campaign donations.
Castro Medina used social media and her school, friend, and community networks to identify minor girls for Lazzaro, according to the federal indictment.. Castro Medina would show Lazzaro photographs of minor girls. If Lazzaro “approved” Castro Medina would tell the minors how to contact Lazzaro, the indictment said. Meanwhile, Lazarro has pleaded innocent to charges against him, as did Castro Medina until she changed her mind.
Sordid details
According to federal court documents:
> Castro Medina met Lazzaro through the sugar-daddy website Seeking Arrangements.
> Lazzaro invited Castro Medina and a minor she recruited to his condo at the ritzy Hotel Ivy in Minneapolis.
> Castro Medina told Lazzaro that the minor was only 16 years old.
> Lazzaro provided Castro Medina and the minor victim with alcohol and paid them $600 for sex with him.
> Lazzaro continued to engage in commercial sex with the minor, and on each occasion he paid her cash.
> Castro Medina took half of each cash payment.
> Lazzaro also compensated Castro Medina with cash for apartment rent, for tuition to St. Thomas, for car payments, and for travel
Castro Medina.
Lazzaro.
Carnahan.
Hagedorn.