New York strippers accused of drugging, blackmailing rich men

Federal authorities busted a group of New York City strippers who allegedly scammed rich men by slipping illegal drugs into their drinks and racking up as much as $200,000 on their credit cards while they were in a daze. Investigators from the Drug Enforcement Agency and the New York Police Department arrested four women earlier this week and charged them with grand larceny, assault, and forgery.

An undercover investigation discovered that the women plotted together and slipped the men with a variety of drugs — including ecstasy — during their meet-ups at fancy strip clubs in New York and Long Island. During a typical session, the women rented them private rooms and charged their credit cards with expensive meals, drinks, and "other services," authorities said. The men then reported waking up in their cars or in hotel rooms with little memory of what happened the night before.

If the men brought up the charges on their bills, the strippers reportedly sent them threatening text messages saying they would release photos of their transgressions. The men's names weren't identified in court papers, and the clubs weren't part of the scam.

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Three of the women appeared in a state court in Manhattan yesterday, including alleged ringleader Samantha Barbash. The fourth woman is slated to appear in court today.