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Attorney: Fired CNN producer from CT sex trafficked girl

The attorney for a child suing fired CNN producer John Griffin over alleged sexual abuse at his Vermont ski house is now contending his client was the victim of sex trafficking, according to court documents filed this week.

Griffin, a former Connecticut resident who lived in Stamford and Norwalk, is accused by federal authorities of trying to lure women and their daughters to his ski home for “sexual training.” In one case, a Nevada woman flew to Boston where Griffin picked them up and brought them to his ski house, court documents said.

The adoptive mother was arrested and sentenced to prison in Nevada in connection with the incident. The child and her guardian, who are living in Connecticut, claim in the lawsuit filed in January that the girl was forced to commit sex acts while she was at the Vermont ski home. The child was 9 when the incidents allegedly occurred in July 2020, court documents said.

Griffin, a former CNN producer for Chris Cuomo and others, was charged by federal authorities in December with three counts of using a facility of interstate commerce to attempt to entice minors to engage in unlawful sexual activity.

The victim's attorney, Joel Faxon, contended in court documents filed this week that his client is also suing on claims that she falls under the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act and is still suffering from injuries due to the abuse, including sexual exploitation and fear of further abuse and vulnerability of future abuse.

The additional claims are laid out in the allegations within the indictment, which described several acts, including Griffin allegedly telling a woman, "it's your job, in concert with me, (to) see that (the child) is trained properly," Faxon wrote in his court filing.

"The defendant engaged in a pattern of illegal activity and prohibited human trafficking activity for purulent sexual purposes," Faxon wrote.

Griffin's wife filed for divorce shortly after he was arrested and he was forced to turn over his share of the proceeds from the sale of the Vermont ski house to the federal court to ensure he can pay restitution if found guilty of the charges.

Griffin was fired from his job at CNN after the indictment was issued. He remains in federal custody in Vermont and has been offered a plea deal to consider, court documents said. However, court filings indicate his attorney and federal prosecutors are still examining evidence in the case.

A court date has not been set for Griffin to next appear for the criminal charges.