There’s a part of Wall Street culture no one talks about publicly, but it’s always there—just under the surface. It’s not in the brochures, not on LinkedIn, not in the glossy alumni panels where MDs talk about grit and ambition. But if you’ve been in banking long enough, you’ve seen it: the casual, almost routine use of sex workers.
It starts subtly. A “closing dinner” that turns into a night at a members-only club. An offhand comment from a VP: “You staying at the Mercer tonight? I know a girl.” At first, you’re not sure what you’re hearing. Then you realize it’s part of the rhythm here, part of how certain people unwind after 100-hour weeks, missed birthdays, and non-stop pressure to deliver.
No one acts like it’s scandalous. It’s treated the same way you’d treat a car service or a bottle of Macallan—just another perk of making it to the next level. I’ve watched senior bankers, married with children, excuse themselves from team dinners and return half an hour later looking… recharged. No one blinks.
To be clear, it’s not everyone. But it’s not rare either. There’s a whole ecosystem built around the lifestyle—private numbers, discreet services, hotel rooms booked under assistant names. Sometimes it’s bundled into client entertainment, written off under vague T&E categories. Other times, it’s just about coping—numbing out, escaping the stress, filling the void with something that asks no questions.
What’s striking isn’t the behavior itself—it’s how normal it becomes. You stop reacting. You stop judging. You start assuming. And in a culture where performance is everything and image is tightly managed, it’s ironic how little effort is spent hiding this side of things.
I’m not writing this as an exposé. I’m not here to preach. But if you’re on the outside looking in, you should know that beneath the billion-dollar deals and buttoned-up personas, there’s a darker, quieter reality. Not driven by scandal—but by exhaustion, loneliness, and the need to feel in control of something.
No one brags about it. No one admits to it. But many participate. And everyone knows.