Key West, Florida — The spa at the center of the scandal that has rocked the Florida Keys has closed, and the resort has agreed to pay $8.5 million in restitution.
The resort is paying $5.3 million to settle charges that it paid prostitutes for sex, and another $1 million to cover legal fees and penalties.
It is not clear how much of that money will go to victims.
The Key Wards’ attorney, David Tackett, said the victims would be compensated for any loss.
“There’s a lot of people who will be really sad to know that they were victims of a crime,” Tackitt said.
The spa was opened in 1971 and had been run by a group of family members for more than a decade.
The resort was a popular destination for vacationers and tourists.
It was not clear when the resort will reopen.
The spa was closed earlier this year due to the health crisis.
Read moreKey West has been a hot spot for crime in recent years.
A federal judge in August ordered the resort to be closed to the public for a year because of an outbreak of cholera.
Key West has shut its main bar and spa.
