Hoity Toity NYC Spa Rented Out to Porn Shoots Says lawsuit

--NY Daily News

NYC- A swanky Manhattan spa that's annually rated among the best in the city doubled as a site for kinky swingers parties and X-rated movie shoots, according to a lawsuit filed by a physical therapist to the stars.

Marty Jaramillo, who rented space from Essential Therapy, is suing the spa and its owner for soiling his reputation by allegedly offering much more than massages at its sleek E.25th St. storefront.

Jaramillo - whose rubdown recipients have included movie stars John Leguizamo and Kathleen Turner - alleges that troubled Essential owner Carlos Araque regularly rented out his space for swingers and porn stars to do their thing.

"They're absolutely false allegations," said Sarita Kedia, an attorney for Araque. "He runs a perfectly legitimate spa."

The supposedly sizzling sex scene wasn't what Jaramillo expected when he signed a lease last July with Essential Therapy that, according to the lawsuit, specifically outlawed "obscene or pornographic material on the premises" and the use of the site as a sex club or massage parlor.

He allegedly discovered the kinky hijinks only after Araque - whose own celebrity customers have included Mets players - was busted in March for allegedly having performed oral sex on a woman against her wishes.

Araque, known for satisfying patrons with what he calls the "make-nice massage," has since pleaded guilty to not being a licensed masseur and is barred from performing massages.

"It's absolutely nothing related to any sexual conduct whatsoever," said Kedia, adding that the sex-abuse charge is being dropped.

But Araque's hands-on techniques at the high-end spa, whose slogan is "Where body and soul align once again," have drawn raves from magazines that consistently rank Essential Therapy as one of the city's top spas.

"It's enough to put you to sleep, at least until the essential oil-scalp massage wakes you up, fully refreshed," New York magazine gushed in last year's "Best of New York" issue.

According to the suit filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, Jaramillo was duped into thinking Araque was a licensed massage therapist who boasted of his "stellar reputation."

A biographical listing for Jaramillo says he is the founder of the I.C.E. Sports Health Group and a former member of medical staffs for the Knicks and St. John's University.