Trammell Crow Jr., Texas real-estate investor and philanthropist, is a defendant in a federal civil lawsuit alleging involvement in an alleged sex-trafficking and racketeering enterprise. Crow has denied the allegations.
By Gina Hill | Alaska Headline Living | February 2026
A civil lawsuit accusing Trammell Crow Jr. of involvement in an alleged sex-trafficking and racketeering scheme is advancing in federal court after a judge declined to dismiss key claims.
Crow, a philanthropist and real-estate investor, is the brother of prominent political donor Harlan Crow, a Texas developer known for building a large private historical collection in Dallas that has drawn media attention in political reporting.
The lawsuit was filed by two women who allege they were recruited, groomed, and coerced into a sex-trafficking operation that, according to their complaint, functioned as a coordinated enterprise involving more than 100 defendants. Court filings claim the network used financial support, intimidation, and manipulation to facilitate sex and labor exploitation. The plaintiffs allege violations of federal anti-trafficking laws and racketeering statutes and are seeking damages in civil court. Trammell Crow Jr. has denied the allegations, and his attorneys have argued that the claims are unfounded.
The case is being handled by Chief U.S. District Judge Fred Biery in the Western District of Texas. The judge’s ruling does not determine guilt or wrongdoing but allows the plaintiffs’ civil claims to proceed into discovery.
The litigation could still be resolved through settlement discussions, additional pretrial motions, or trial proceedings if the dispute is not resolved.
No criminal charges have been filed.
Source: Federal court records and Bloomberg Law reporting.
