A federal judge yesterday ordered prosecutors to release sealed wiretap documents tied to the prostitution ring that counted ex-Gov. Eliot Spitzer as one of its 67 wealthy johns, court papers revealed.
But the names of Emperors Club VIP’s well-heeled horndogs – besides Spitzer, a k a “Client 9” – will remain secret.
One unidentified man filed legal papers to protect his identity, and eight others also contacted lawyers to “express concerns” about being outed.
Prosecutors also tried to stop the transcripts from becoming public, citing the privacy of the clients and fear it would reveal sensitive details of how the investigation was conducted.
In his ruling, Manhattan federal Judge Jed Rakoff said there was a “strong and obvious public interest in disclosure” of the documents but not the names of the clients.
Lawyer Richard Roth, who represents some of the men, said he was glad their identities wouldn’t be revealed.
“While I don’t condone their conduct, this should scare them enough to learn from their mistakes,” he said.