Interested in a home with a notorious past? The Vallejo home where the infamous “D.C. Madam” managed her escort services for almost 20 years is on the market.
Built in 1865, the property at 803 Capitol Street has been listed with an asking price of $650,000, according to SFGATE.
The 1,600-square-foot home has two bedrooms, two bathrooms and has been extensively renovated over the years. It also includes an old cistern under the basement.
Deborah Jeane Palfrey ran an escort service over the phone and through mail out of the home during the 1990s and 2000s, with a client list said to have included at least one U.S. senator, White House officials, lobbyists and employees from the Pentagon, FBI and IRS.
In 2006, federal agents, the United States Postal Inspection Service and the IRS raided the Vallejo home, alleging she was running a high-end prostitution ring from the property.
Palfrey was eventually convicted of mail fraud, racketeering and money laundering. She died by suicide as she awaited sentencing in 2009.
A plaque on the house designating the property a landmark and noting Palfrey’s contribution
The seller of the home bought it shortly after Palfrey’s death. It was listed in 2009 for about $290,000.
Palfrey won an award from the city of Vallejo for her renovations on the property and received recognition from the city for owning one of the city’s 10 residential landmarks.
Another historic home in the San Francisco Bay Area was put up for sale recently — but with a significant price cut from an earlier listing. One of San Francisoc’s two remaining octagonal homes is listed for $7.8 million — $800,000 less than it was originally put on the market for in May.
[SFGATE] — Isabella Farr