Underground NYC swingers party with dozens of people busted by police
More than 80 people were at the party
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}These probably weren’t the busts they’d expected.
An underground swingers sex party was broken up overnight in Queens for violating pandemic gathering restrictions, the New York City Sheriff’s Office announced.
Caligula, which bills itself on Facebook as a “private upscale on premise swingers club” in Astoria, was caught hosting more than 80 people, bumping loud music and unlawfully serving alcohol, Sheriff Joseph Fucito said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}SUBWAY SHOVING, FLAMETHROWERS, SHOOTINGS IN NYC BLAMED ON 'PERFECT STORM' OF POLICE REFORM, PANDEMIC
A swingers sex club in Manhattan was busted by police. (NYC Sheriff's Department)
When sheriff deputies arrived, they found three couples having sex in a small room while others were gathered across the venue unlawfully drinking alcohol and socializing, according to the sheriff and pictures of the event.
Jennifer Hayes, 47, was the only attendee who was fined and given a summons for disorderly conduct.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“[The chief] kept saying how long have you been working there… I didn’t work there. I heard them laughing and making fun of everybody,” Hayes told The Post Sunday, adding she will be fighting the violations.
“I got angry, I mouthed off… they kept me there for four hours,” she continued.
The woman claimed she was not taking part in the hanky panky.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“I just wanted to dance and see and hear a DJ play music, that was it! There’s no other options. You can’t go anywhere.”
Hayes said she was wearing a mask the entire night and claimed she didn’t witness anyone having sex.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A swingers sex club in Queens was busted by police. (NYC Sheriff's Department)
Photos taken by deputies show four white beds and a black leather couch crammed together in a small room with a basket of what appears to be condoms on one of the beds and a trash can on the floor.
Another photo shows a large cardboard box filled with condoms with a lacy black bra draped on top of it. There is also a picture of a white laminated sign showing prices for an apparent VIP room, which started at $30 for 10 minutes and went up to $500 for “ALL NIGHT!”
The party was in violation of the 25-person gathering rule in place for businesses located in yellow zones and it also didn’t have a liquor license or a special permit from the state liquor authority to sell or store booze, the sheriff’s office said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Hayes said the event wasn’t crowded and people were spaced apart. She doesn’t believe 80 people were in attendance but couldn’t say for sure just how many patrons there were.
“We were trying to do it safely, we were wearing masks, we just wanted to hear music, that’s all,” Hayes said.
“We weren’t trying to put anyone in danger, we were maintaining our distance from other people.”
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A swingers sex club in Queens was busted by police. (NYC Sheriff's Department)
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Sheriffs said Hayes “engaged in tumultuous or threatening behavior and made continual unreasonable noise” during the bust.
The manager of the business, Roy Bacoy, 37, was charged with violating an executive order, violating an emergency measure, operating an unlicensed bottle club, and unlawfully warehousing alcohol. He was slapped with a $1,000 failure to protect health and safety fine while the business was given a $15,000 fine, the sheriff said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Bacoy didn’t return a request for comment.
The sheriff’s office responded to the location after a 311 complaint came through but the event was blatantly advertised Wednesday on Facebook.
“PANDEMIC RE-DO,” the graphic screams with a photo of a busty woman in a mariachi hat in front of a cactus to signify the “Cinco de Mayo in November” theme.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“COUPLES AND SINGLE LADIES ONLY,” the graphic states.
A swingers sex club in Queens was busted by police. (NYC Sheriff's Department)
Dozens of advertisements for similar events dating back to July 12 indicate the club has been hosting possibly illegal parties for months.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Shortly after Caligula hosted its last event, on March 15, the club announced it would be closing when other bars and restaurants were forced to shutter at the start of the pandemic.
On June 28, a week after outdoor dining returned to the Big Apple, Caligula announced its “Grand Reopening Weekend” scheduled for the July 4 holiday. A Facebook post boasted about the club’s many hand-sanitizer dispensers and antibacterial soap stations — as if that would ward off flesh-to-flesh disease transmission.
Nearly every weekend since July 4, Caligula has been advertising indoor swinger bashes complete with DJs and unsavory themes like the “bikinis and whipped cream” fest on Aug. 22 and a “tricks for treats” party on Halloween.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}This article first appeared in the New York Post.