We have a Tupperware virgin in the room. We have a Tupperware virgin in the room. Thank you, thank you. Tonight on 20/20 ` the timeless classic that's still a force in the kitchen. It's been called a cult before, yeah. It's been called a cult before, yeah. LAUGHTER All hail the plastic fantastic. It's not about the containers. It's about the opportunity. I earn a six-figure salary. I earn a six-figure salary. Six figures? I earn a six-figure salary. Six figures? Yeah. Also, students that strip to study. There's so many jobs that just won't pay a wage that covers the cost of tuition. Baring all can really pay off. I make about $180,000 a year. You'll take a pay cut when you become a lawyer. You'll take a pay cut when you become a lawyer. I will. Copyright Able 2014 Kia ora. I'm Sonya Wilson. So, tonight, we're going to take you to one of the most popular parties in the world. In fact, every 2.3 seconds ` yes, seconds ` one of these parties starts. Now, if you're picturing the disco, dance floor and drinks kind, you'd be wrong. Think pink, plastic and well, more and more plastic. And if you thought they died out in the '70s, again, you'd be wrong. Tupperware parties are still going strong. In NZ and Australia, it's a $100 million-business. We sent our reporter Erin Conroy to her first ever Tupperware party. THE PROCLAIMERS' '500 MILES' I was walking down the street one day. I came across something... quite extraordinary. Tupperware? Really? Can anyone in NZ still be into this stuff? So I followed my nose, and clearly, I was wrong. # Oh, I would walk 500 miles. # And I would walk 500 miles... # MAN: It's been called a cult before, yeah. MAN: It's been called a cult before, yeah. LAUGHTER 'I wanted to discover what it was all about. 'So I've arranged to spend 24 hours in the world of Tupperware,... Where can I sit? Where can I sit? You can sit wherever you like. Where can I sit? You can sit wherever you like. Right. thank you, thank you. It's my first time, sorry. '...starting with your typical party. We have a Tupperware virgin in the room. There she is, sitting there. We have a Tupperware virgin in the room. There she is, sitting there. Hi, hi, hi. thanks. Yep, thank you. 'It's a Friday night. If you don't know me, my name's Fleur. 'A group of 20-somethings have gathered, 'and it's the job of Fleur Gibbons to sell these people as much of her plastic goods as she can.' I'm pretty loved up with Tupperware at the moment. I'm feeling quite,... quite excited about the whole thing. Hosting the party is newly-wed Siobhan. Are you going to order anything tonight? Are you going to order anything tonight? Yes. Last time, we got lunch boxes. This time... we're going to get... some more lunch boxes. we're going to get... some more lunch boxes. (CHUCKLES) I like my lunch boxes. (LAUGHS) How are you feeling about that? I've got no excuse for not eating my lunch. She's cooked it right, and she's packaged it right. If I don't eat it, I just get told off. If I don't eat it, I just get told off. So, last time, we got those two. This time we're gonna get these ones. Yep. And the steamer. And the steamer. And the steamer. Newly-weds. We like to keep things steamy. Newly-weds. We like to keep things steamy. (LAUGHS) Rice. And we've had Tupperware. It's actually... And I'm using the, um, Tupperware spatula. Who's got`? Has anyone got any Tupperware spatulas that they use? Any bakers in the room? It's a two-hour party. Fleur has to be 'on' the whole time. This is the Tupperware steamer. Tupperware is just amazing. This has won a Red Dot Design Award. Tonight she's demonstrating a new dumpling-maker. Siobhan, this is the second party you've hosted. Why`? I mean, how old are you? 23. 23. Aren't there better things for you to do? You're young. Shouldn't you be out on a Friday night? Shouldn't you be out on a Friday night? Probably, but this is pretty fun. ALL: This is what we're always like at a Tupperware party. What, how many have you been to? Like, five...? Like, five...? Four or five now. I went to three in the last two months. Why? Why? Just because. It's fun. Are you gonna purchase tonight? Are you gonna purchase tonight? Um, probably not, just because I bought` I just spent $300 in my last Tupperware party, so my boyfriend just texted me today. He's like, 'You better not be buying any more today.' (LAUGHS) Big money and lots of plastic. I've got VentSmarts, um, the Modular Mates. So I've got the Clear Mates. Sling bottle. Sling bottle. Heat 'N Eat. Sling bottle. Heat 'N Eat. The chicken shears. The rice cooker. The lunch boxes. The pasta cooker. A couple of storage containers. And, yeah, I'm looking at buying the baking stuff today. That's fantastic. Thank you, sweetie. A tried and true formula that began more than 60 years ago. Tupperware keeps aroma and flavour locked in. You start as a hostess, then become a demonstrator, and then, recruit sellers. You can set your goals as high or as low as you want. Fleur has set herself some big targets. 144. 114. 29... 220. Big targets mean big money and a brand new car on top of that. My goodness. My goodness. Whoo! My goodness. Whoo! How was that? It's good. It's good. Yeah? It's good. Yeah? Yeah, good bunch of... good bunch of people, lots of fun. But fail to meet those targets, and she'll be stripped of her car and lose income. What happens when you fall behind your targets? Is that really stressful? Yes, it can be. Yeah, it can be. And tomorrow, she'll find out just where she stands. UPLIFTING MUSIC The very next morning, Fleur and several hundred other Tupperware ladies gather. It's intense. It's their national conference, but it feels more like a rock concert or religious rally. What about the pom-poms and standing on chairs and stuff? Is that normal? What about the pom-poms and standing on chairs and stuff? Is that normal? That's coming. Very normal. (LAUGHS BOISTEROUSLY) Do you think we're crazy? The outpouring of enthusiasm and energy is quite uncomfortable for the uninitiated like me. Five, four, three, two, one. ALL CHEER LOUDLY Welcome to your first state conference for 2014. Attending the conference are the casual sellers, as well as the top sellers like Tina Koch. I earn a six-figure salary, and the sky's the limit. The more I put in, the more I reap back. How long have you been doing that for? Six figures? Yep. I've been in Tupperware for... just coming up two years. < Two years?! < Two years?! Two years, yeah. < Two years?! Two years, yeah. < What did you do before that? I was a teacher. (LAUGHS) I was a teacher. (LAUGHS) < How much did you earn doing that? I was a teacher. (LAUGHS) < How much did you earn doing that? Oh, not six figures. (LAUGHS) Sorry, I'm gonna push you on this, because they even put the brackets at $140,000-plus. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Are you in that? Oh, yeah. Are you in that? Yep. I've got six kids, my husband and I. So this is... it's a part-time job that fits in around my family. And you can earn what we're earning. And how can some of the people in there earn? Ooh... double that. Yeah, easy. Yeah, easy. 200 grand? Yeah, easy. 200 grand? Oh, yeah, yeah. And probably more. < WOMAN: We need you in the room now. < WOMAN: We need you in the room now. Oh, OK. Oh, hang on. Yeah, sorry. So... So we have to cut this short. She needs to get back in the room, OK. Here, let me help you up. Are you OK? Yep. Yep. Let's go, let's go, OK. It's all right. We're having fun. She's, uh, required for something important, is she? She's, uh, required for something important, is she? Just needs to be back at her seat. OK. Interesting. OK. Interesting. Just get back to my seat? OK. Interesting. Just get back to my seat? Yes, please. Off you go. Our 2013 Hall of Fame Manager for NZ... Tina Koch! Tina Koch! ALL CHEER, APPLAUD THE SCRIPT'S 'HALL OF FAME' Next on the programme ` a new product launch. Not unexpected, but then, this happened. A big welcome to everyone to Potatoes Without Partners. My name's Desiree. LAUGHTER, CHEERING, APPLAUSE Hello, Desiree. Hello, everyone. Don't you all look spud-tacular? Hello, Desiree. Hello, everyone. Don't you all look spud-tacular? LAUGHTER We're gonna introduce Tupperware's new... potato keeper! CHEERING, APPLAUSE BOISTEROUS SINGING All of that over a new plastic container that holds potatoes. It's unbelievable. But it all helps bolster the enthusiasm, and their enthusiasm is genuine. Do you realise it was ooh-ing and ahh-ing over plastic containers? But it's amazing plastic container. Everyone's gonna want that. Whose potatoes go off? Their potatoes are gonna last for weeks in that container. Among Tupperware's top performers ` Paula and Zane Nichol, the couple we all knew as the strangers who got married in a radio competition. 15 years on, they're still married, and now they sell Tupperware. You love it, because you get paid to party, and you get paid well to go and socialise, party. I make people cocktails. We have fun. So you've just been up on stage twice. It's obviously working for you? Yeah. To get number one in NZ, just... wow. It's` It was a big goal. Five years ago, when I walked into that room and... the pom-poms and the loud music and stuff, it was, like, 'Wow, these people really love this industry, this business.' Like many demonstrators, Paula started with Tupperware because she could earn and be a stay-at-home mum. What would be the record number of parties you've done in a week? Uh... 16. You did 16?! > Yeah. It was a record-breaker week, and I think I did nearly $20,000 for the week. It's like a religion. It's like a religion. BOTH LAUGH It's been called a cult before, yeah. GENTLE PIANO MUSIC WHOOPING, CHEERING And like a religion, there's a real sense of belonging here. I'm very proud to say the day after tomorrow morning, I fly off to Malaysia and I paid my entire flights cash. < WOMAN: Well done. < WOMAN: Well done. ALL CHEER, APPLAUD Everyone is accepted, rewarded, and the ability to improve some families' lives is obvious. I can actually stay home with my daughter while we get out of financial debt. WOMAN: Excellent! From family assistance to six-figure earnings for those at the top, now it's time for Fleur to find out how she has stacked up. MAN: Fleur Gibbons! MAN: Fleur Gibbons! ALL CHEER UPLIFTING MUSIC Pretty well, it seems. She took out second prize in her category. And with that, the day, the craziness begins to wrap up. What did you get in your gift bag? What did you get in your gift bag? Uh,... tongs and a whisk. So you were pretty excited about getting that, eh? Yep, absolutely. This... a bracelet, an iPad. How was it? How was it? Fantastic. I love it. Are you excited? Have you got the Tupper bug? It's a natural high. (LAUGHS) Yeah. It's a natural high. (LAUGHS) Yeah. Tupperware gives you a natural high. It's a natural high. (LAUGHS) Yeah. Tupperware gives you a natural high. A natural high. I come... you know, it's like on my wedding day. My cheeks are almost hurting, like. I should stop smiling now. I think this woman just equated this day with her wedding day. Wow. When you boil it down, it's just a bunch of plastic containers. Well, that's the thing. It's not about the containers. It's about the opportunity. It's about the opportunity to sell and be successful. < So when people see this, what do you think they're gonna think? Who can say they go to work every day we go to party and have fun? And get paid. (LAUGHS) And get paid. (LAUGHS) And get paid. Come and join us. Come and join us. BOTH LAUGH And, I mean, if you saw the figures up there of what we get paid in comparison to a day job, I know what I'd choose. Well, who knew? Next up on 20/20 ` where's my money? The lengths one woman went to to get her money back. Welcome to Los Angeles and a very serious game of hide-and-seek, where this woman spends a great deal of time looking for this guy, and he spends a great deal of his time looking over his shoulder trying to avoid her. He's also trying to avoid this woman and this woman and this woman. Welcome back. Now, how far would you go to get your money back? Katherine Underwood thought she'd found the man of her dreams ` a charming university professor. And then one day, eight months after they met, he popped the question ` can I borrow money? After six years of what she now says was a relationship built on lies and deception, Katherine ` out $400,000 to the professor ` wants her money back, and she is going to some very unusual lengths to get it. Welcome to Los Angeles and a very serious game of hide-and-seek, where this woman spends a great deal of time looking for this guy and he spends a great deal of time looking over his shoulder, trying to avoid her. He's also trying to avoid this woman and this woman and this woman. What's at stake here? Well, she could collect nearly $2 million or go home broke. It is a story of deception, dollars and disguise. Katherine Underwood is trapped in a bad relationship, and even though the romance ended a long time ago, the South Carolina native simply can't walk away. Her former boyfriend, on the other hand, wants to run away, a departure from the avalanche of affection he once bestowed on Katherine in Aspen, Colorado. What were your first impressions, that first meeting of him? I wasn't really that fond of him. He was nice,... Mm-hm. Mm-hm. ...just, you know, not necessarily like any of my other friends. First impressions on that snowy night back in 1994 may not have been memorable, but his name certainly was ` Budimir Drakulic. And his middle name was persistence. He had found out where I worked and came walking into the restaurant, and just appeared. He wanted to know what I was doing when I got finished, and I met with him. It is the textbook definition of 'opposites attract', as the UCLA professor of biomedical engineering falls for the coat-check girl. How did he begin to win you over? Because you weren't interested at first. He was just so determined to get to know me, and I was so determined that I wasn't interested. And I think I was just taken by his determination. The professor professes his love for Katherine. He told me he loved me on the first night. He told me he loved me on the first night. On the first night? He called her every day, he told her how wonderful she was ` he kept talking about the life that they would have together. Budimir wines and dines Katherine. He flies her to his home in LA so the two can spend more time together. Eventually, you did feel like you grew to love him? I did. I did. Were you talking marriage? Uh, yes, we were talking marriage and children. Katherine is fully invested in the relationship, and the long-distance romance blossoms. After about eight months Budimir pops the question ` just not the one she was hoping for. What did he ask you exactly? What did he ask you exactly? He asked me for $5000. Budimir was away on business and, according to Katherine, needed to pay child support and couldn't transfer funds into his account. Did you have any doubts, any second thoughts at all about loaning him that $5000? Well, no, because he was... he had a good job. And I for sure thought he would pay me that back. Donna Anderson has written about Katherine's case and has counselled thousands of women to spot the warning signs. The first time that he asked for money, he didn't ask for it for himself ` he asked for it for his kids. It was kind of like a trial balloon, you know, just to see if she would even respond to that. And she did. One month later ` another story, another request for cash. And he asked me if I could, uh, loan him 5000 more dollars. It was for his mother, who didn't speak any English. And did you have any reason that point to think, 'This sounds a little fishy'? Well... Well, no. He had several PHDs, he was very intelligent ` I thought he was a professor at UCLA. The money grab continues. This time, Katherine says, Budimir Drakulic tells her he's at Edwards Air Force Base, conducting a top-secret project. So secret, Budimir actually whispers during phone conversations because he's not supposed to be making outgoing calls from his location. The project, once completed, would earn him millions, but he would need $35,000 first to finish the research or risk losing everything. And I felt really bad for him. And I felt really bad for him. Was there any part of that story that rang untrue for you? Uh, no. I wish it did. Budimir Drakulic targeted her because he knew that she was vulnerable. Katherine does indeed have money, and not the kind you make by checking coats. So the money you inherited mostly came from your grandmother? Yeah, that's right. Yeah, that's right. How much money, when you met him, did you have in savings? I had around $450,000. Nearly half a million dollars. > Nearly half a million dollars. > Mm-hm. She would not have it for long. The fangs of Drakulic are out now as he begins to suck Katherine's bank account dry with a never-ending series of withdrawals that Katherine reluctantly approves. He needed $8200 and... $9800 and $9700. So, Katherine, how much money total did you loan Budimir? Around $400,000. You loaned him your entire life savings? You loaned him your entire life savings? Mm-hm. I loaned him everything. And despite the endless borrowing, Katherine stays in the relationship, a combination of misguided trust and a very real fear. Once Katherine Underwood had invested $100,000, $200,000, she began to believe that the only way she could even get her money back is if the project became a success. It stretched out year after year? I felt trapped. The more I gave him, the more scared I was. Of losing all your money? > Of losing all your money? > Yeah. (CHUCKLES) When we return, Underwood undercover ` Katherine attempts to follow the man and the money. The master of disguise gets close to Budimir ` real close. I would follow him to banks, and I would stand right behind him. It took six long years, but Katherine Underwood realises her mistake. She's bankrolled the dreams of Budimir Drakulic. In return, she got an empty promise and an empty bank account. I felt stupid. Katherine decides to go on the offensive. She begins to take a closer look at Budimir, and his story has some holes in it. First at UCLA. CHUCKLING: I found out that he had left UCLA in October of 1993. He was not a professor at UCLA. And what about all those late nights working at Edwards Air Force Base? Katherine says a late-night phone call in 2000 woke her up in more ways than one. And I looked at the ID caller. Mm-hm. Mm-hm. And it was, uh, a Los Angeles number. He wasn't calling you from the desert? He wasn't calling you from the desert? No. (EXHALES) Well,... then I knew I was in big trouble. The next day, a devastated Katherine flies to LA unannounced. She recalls the time Budimir first showed her around the UCLA campus and him talking about playing tennis. So, grasping at straws, she heads to the tennis courts. He was playing tennis. He was taking a tennis lesson. So in that moment, when you saw him on the tennis court, reality slapped you in the face? It sure did. Hard. Hard. He was a liar. Hard. He was a liar. That's the worst. Did you confront him? Did you confront him? Yes. He was very... ugly and very... very nasty. He wanted me to leave and asked me, uh, that I had no business coming to Los Angeles unannounced. From the tennis court, Katherine goes to superior court, files a lawsuit and wins a judgment. The judge called... Budimir's conduct, 'willful, malicious and despicable.' Mm-hm. At the time, Katherine was awarded more than $800,000. Today, with interest, that figure has ballooned to more than $1.6 million. Budimir has appealed twice and lost twice. Truth be told, he didn't look all worried when we spotted him at his private members-only gym. A lot of people would think, 'Wait a second. You have promissory notes showing you lent him this money, 'you have a court order ordering him to pay you back this money,...' Yes. '...why is it so hard to get the money back?' '...why is it so hard to get the money back?' He had a team of attorneys. Katherine can't afford a team of attorneys, so Underwood goes undercover with a series of low-tech get-ups designed to get her close enough to actually hear things and see things that will hopefully lead her to her money. Tracking Budimir becomes Katherine's obsession. She follows him to business meetings, stores, banks and more. You dated this man for six years. He never noticed or recognised you? I worked hard to disguise myself. At one restaurant, the former couple are seated a little too close for comfort. The waiter came up to ask me for my order, and I couldn't talk to him. You were afraid he would recognise your voice. You were afraid he would recognise your voice. The voice, he would recognise. At that meal, Katherine listens as Budimir brags to a co-worker. I heard him say that... they had outsmarted us. Katherine's one-woman investigative unit is generating some leads, but she can't even cover her own hotel expenses. So where did you stay? So where did you stay? Ashamed to say. So where did you stay? Ashamed to say. It's OK. I'd sleep in the car. I'd sleep in the car. In the car? The economic burden is being felt, not just by Katherine, but by the brothers who came to her rescue. My brother was borrowing against his home. He what? He what? He borrowed money against his home. He what? He borrowed money against his home. Against his home? Mm-hm. I just felt like the whole time I was out there I had to, uh... I had to get my money back. We pay a visit to Budimir's home. Hi. I'm looking for Budimir. I'm Elizabeth Vargas, with ABC News. A male voice on the other side of the door asks what us we want. For Katherine Underwood, the answer is simple ` $1.6 million and some closure. Budimir, you should be ashamed of yourself. You're living a nice life out here in LA, you took my money, and look at you ` 11 o'clock, you're not even working. I want my money back. You took my money and my brother's money, and I want you to return it. Enough is enough. I want to be paid back. The plea is met with silence. Once again, Katherine walks away empty-handed. (SOBS) To level the playing field for Katherine, we enlisted the help of two heavy hitters ` first, Nelson Tucker, who walks softly and carries a big badge. Let's just say he's got a certain way of making people pay up. And Bob Nygaard, a street-smart private eye who's appeared on 20/20 before, busting scams. I mean, she was conned out of a lot of money, and she deserves to get that money back. That's the bottom line. The PI does some digging and uncovers a disturbing detail. Even as Drakulic was borrowing money from Katherine back in the '90s, he was earning $180,000 a year at a tech company in California. Talk about adding insult to injury! It really is a travesty of justice. Nygaard makes a very good living playing his own version of hide-and-seek. So, here he comes. Coming out now with his food. On this day, he's tailing Drakulic to see where he works. That question is answered when Budimir pulls into BioSig Technologies. You have Budimir, who's working for BioSig, who's collecting a salary, and Katherine isn't seeing a cent of that money. It's wrong. It's just flat-out wrong. And as the private eye learns, Budimir doesn't work cheap ` his total compensation in salary and stock at BioSig for the past three years totals more than $1 million. But, on paper, he is a phantom who appears to have no assets. I was amazed that he was making this kind of money and not doing something to try to settle the case to have it go away. Nelson Tucker is a process-server extraordinaire who has served papers on everyone from celebrities to heads of state. Today he's going to BioSig, not to serve Budimir, but to serve the company that pays Budimir, in an attempt to garnish his wages. Do you know, um, Budimir, uh, Drakulic? Yeah, he works with us, but for some reason he's not here today. Yeah, he works with us, but for some reason he's not here today. OK. Is he normally here? Yeah. Yeah? It's very important that, uh, the company does not disregard this notice. This is a court order, and a file has been opened with the sheriff ` the Los Angeles County Sheriff. And so, um, if you fail to comply ` you meaning the company ` fails to comply with this order, then there are repercussions against the company. then there are repercussions against the company. I understand. So now Budimir, unmasked to his company and to the world, must move quickly. If he fails to respond to the court order by next week, BioSig must legally deduct 25% of his income and send it to the LA Sheriff's Office for Katherine. But until that money is in her bank, Katherine Underwood is not celebrating ` she's come too far and waited too long. He could've given me my money back at any time, and I would've walked away and never looked back. He put me on a waiting game for all of those years. And he let me wait and wait. Where's my money? Next up on 20/20 ` a group of students who've found a novel way of paying their way through university. They're part of a new generation taking off their clothes so they don't have to take on college debt. Essentially, you're a student by day and a stripper by night. Yeah. Sometimes it's student by night and stripper by day. It depends. Ooh, and your little niece is due soon. Air New Zealand's changed their domestic seats, so now you'll always have four options available every time you book. Ah, that concert's coming up. Seat only's perfect if it's just a quick visit. Now, taking your gear's no problem with, oh, seat + bag. You don't see one of those in every bush. Tick-tock, tick-tock ` meetings can take a while. Just in case you need to change your flight time on the day, book flexitime. Ooh, and your little niece is due soon. If you might need to change the day you fly, best go with flexiplus. Look, the family nose! Never mind. Air New Zealand's new domestic seats. Visit airnewzealand.co.nz Welcome back. While some students pay their way through university by waiting tables, others find stripping a whole lot more lucrative. Maggie is among a growing number of students who find that showing a little skin to paying customers is a pretty worthwhile proposition. Now, when I say 'worthwhile', she's making $180,000 a year. I'm Maggie. I'm pre-law at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. I'm Madison. I'm getting my master's in social work. I'm Jade. I'm getting my bachelor's in forensic psychology. Meet the young women in hot pursuit of higher education. We're not using their full names, because they have a little secret. SEDUCTIVE MUSIC They're part of a new generation taking off their clothes so they don't have to take on college debt. Essentially, you're a student by day and a stripper by night. Yeah. Sometimes it's student by night, stripper by day. It depends. (LAUGHS) Maggie says she gets straight-As as a double major ` Spanish and poli sci. Every other weekend, she takes a three-hour train from her home in Baltimore to Manhattan... Sometimes I'll do homework. ...to the Bright Lights Bright Lights, Big City dance club called Scores. I have a class that ends at 5.15. I'll get over to the city by around 5.30, 5.45, hop on a bus or a train around 6, and then be at work by, like, 8.30. Work means pole-dancing in a G-string for men who show their appreciation by giving them tips. I am an entertainer, and what I provide is company and entertainment. It's seducing them... It's definitely sales. It's definitely sales. We're selling our time and company. And so you're willing to sell your time and your company in order to pay tuition? Exactly. Going to school full-time, you don't really have time to work 40 hours a week. There's so many jobs that just won't pay a wage that covers the cost of tuition. So while I'm young, this is a terrific opportunity. This past Saturday, Maggie took home more in one night than she would have working 40 hours as a waitress. Almost $1100. I'm so happy with what I got. (LAUGHS SHEEPISHLY) Stripping just four nights at Scores, the money adds up ` fast. How much do you make a year? How much do you make a year? I make about $180,000 a year. That's incredible. That's what, like, you know, a first-year law associate would make, if not more. You'll take a pay cut when you become a lawyer. You'll take a pay cut when you become a lawyer. I will. What do their parents think of this eccentric solution to the college debt problem? My dad, he's very supportive of just, you know, the work I do. He just doesn't want to talk about it. My mom said that she was disappointed because it was exploitation. But these college students say they feel less exploited doing this than, say, waiting tables. I've actually found of any job I've held, this would be the least exploitative. As a waitress, I was amazed at how rude some customers could be. But that doesn't mean they don't feel the sting when people find out what they do. I've gotten some comments, but people definitely make a point of mentioning it, and I feel like there are people that define me by that. A lot of judgement. A lot of judgement. Sure. But while these women say they still get shamed for being in this line of work,... CLUB MUSIC BOOMS, WILD CHEERING ...men get celebrated like Channing Tatum in 'Magic Mike'. It turns out Tatum knew the value of a buck before he became famous. Here he is in a hula skirt, stripping in real life, shown on TMZ. CLUB MUSIC BOOMS It's something more and more men like Dino are on to. So, what made you think, 'All right, I'll try stripping? Not to sound cocky, but you just look in the mirror and... It's a great way to make money. It's easy, it's fun. You go on stage, you perform. To earn tuition, Dino, who's studying international trade, performs at New York's HunkOMania. How much of your college are you able to pay by taking your clothes off? Pretty much all of it. Pretty much all of it. Really? Pretty much all of it. Really? Yeah, all of it, and some extra too. And when his buddies discover his 'extracurricular activity', the response is overwhelmingly positive. My friends think it's awesome. Like, 'Oh, I wish I could do that.' They admire the fact that I do that. 18-year-old 'Egypt' says she doesn't get admired for stripping, but she feels she should get respect. Doing this means proving to people that strippers aren't always... 'the stereotypical slut'. Um, we work hard. Um,... even if it's showing off our bodies. 'Egypt' got her inspiration from an unlikely role model ` the infamous Duke University porn star Belle Knox. I read an interview of Belle Knox in Rolling Stone magazine, and I'm like, 'She's 18 and doing porn. Why not me?' You know, become a stripper. 'Egypt' was eager to meet Knox when she made an appearance at her strip club, the Show Palace. What are you studying? What are you studying? Criminal justice. What are you studying? Criminal justice. Oh, wow. You want to be a lawyer? (SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY) (SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY) I want to be a lawyer too. (SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY) I want to be a lawyer too. Nice too meet you. And Belle Knox knows well the struggle to pay hefty Duke University tuition. I was sitting in my dorm room one day, just completely stressed about how the heck I was gonna pay any of my bills. And I said to my roommate, 'Screw it. I'll just be a porn star.' To make enough to pay her monthly $4300 tuition bill, Knox says... My options were work three jobs. Even then, I'd probably only make about $1000 a month. Porn has really given me a lot of financial independence. In fact, so much independence that she told Time magazine just this week she no longer qualifies for any financial aid. In Scores clubs across the country, there are almost 500 young women dancing to pay tuition. So, did that surprise you? Shocked me. So we thought about it, and we said, 'With all these entertainers going to school, 'why not try to put a scholarship together and do it through a pole-dancing contest, 'where the winner would get $50,000 over four years to pay for her college?' < You going for the Scores scholarship now? Yes, I am. Yes, I am. ALL LAUGH And if they don't win, ironically, they'll have to rely on the conversational skills they've honed in the strip club. It's the girls that know how to talk to people. It's the girls that know how to talk to people. That's how you hook them. Once again proving that the sexiest body part is the brain. Exactly. Exactly. Mm-hm. Next up on 20/20 ` Molly Bloom ran the only game in town, and now she's spilling the beans on the high rollers and the high times around her poker table. She was the voluptuous Hollywood madam of poker, and she says she lured billionaires and celebrities alike; faces you know from the red carpet drawn to her green felt table every week for an underground high-stakes game of no-limit Texas hold 'em. Welcome back. The 'Poker Madam' of Hollywood, Molly Bloom, takes 20/20 inside the world of underground poker and the secret games she says she staged for billionaires and A-list celebrities. TECHNO MUSIC In the heart of Hollywood, hidden beneath the notorious Viper Room, a narrow hallway leads into a musty room, a poker table and the secret world of Molly Bloom. So, this is where it all began. Yes. She was the voluptuous Hollywood madam of poker, and she says she lured billionaires and celebrities alike ` faces you know from the red carpet, drawn to her green felt table every week for an underground high-stakes game of no-limit Texas hold 'em. This was a $100,000 chip. According to Molly, 10 years ago she was running errands for a rich entrepreneur when she took her first step into a shadowy world. At 27, she was given the responsibility to host the games for her boss and his high-rolling poker buddies, including Leonardo DiCaprio... He sat right there with his headphones. ...and Tobey Maguire. Tobey was sitting right there. Tobey and Leonardo together in the film The Great Gatsby and together in cards. How much money was played in that first game? People had probably, you know, six-figure losses, six-figure wins. A former cocktail waitress from small-town Colorado, Molly was immediately intoxicated by the mixture of glamour, wealth, secrecy and, most of all, the cash tips she received from the winners. That first night, how much money did you make in tips? That first night, how much money did you make in tips? Around 3000. And what was your reaction? I got in my car, I locked my car, and I just was, like, screaming. (LAUGHS) And nobody took a cut from the pot, so Molly's Hollywood game and her tips were perfectly legal. And then the money just kept getting better. And then the money just kept getting better. It did. For Molly, perfecting the game for the A-list players meant studying their poker personalities. I'll call the two grand. I'll gamble. Matt Damon, she says, was nothing like the poker addict who gambled everything in the film Rounders. He was l` lovely, modest, down-to-earth. A nice, smart guy. And to, uh, further that point, he never came back. (LAUGHS) She says Damon's pal Ben Affleck was a regular, whose penchant for gambling has made the news. Security at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino told Affleck, 'You're too good,' and politely escorted him away from the blackjack table. He had the gambling gene? > He had the gambling gene? > No question. Just like the mild-mannered Peter Parker could morph into Spiderman, Molly says Tobey Maguire assumed an alter-ego when he put on his poker face. He was bloodthirsty? I used to call Tobey Hannibal Lecter because he could just talk someone off of a good hand. Really? Really? The person would look at their hand and know they have the nuts, which is the top hand, and he could talk them out of it. which is the top hand, and he could talk them out of it. He won a lot? Yeah. Yeah. How much money would be in that pot? Yeah. How much money would be in that pot? Six figures almost all the time. And how much was he winning? And how much was he winning? Over the years? Millions. Millions. How did he handle a loss? Not well. If Spiderman was a poker shark, Molly says the Wolf of Wall Street was less predator, more bait, often playing with chips bought by Tobey. Tobey would put Leo in the game in order to attract bigger players. So Leo really wasn't into playing the game? He was there as the magnet? Yeah. Molly says she realised she could control the game, satisfy Tobey and the regulars and slake her burgeoning thirst for cash if she began recruiting new players ` in poker parlance, whales. What's a whale? What's a whale? They have a lot of money and, um, limited skill. They need to lose sometimes? They need to lose sometimes? Most of the time, you know? Most of the time. Most of the time. I mean, to keep these guys happy. Most of the time. I mean, to keep these guys happy. Right. > And if a whale wasn't drawn in by her A-list actors, Molly says she had an ace in the hole, Alex Rodriguez. And here's a shocker. He once denied ever playing in the game. A-Rod was a novice player, but there's something that happens to grown men. No matter how successful they are, when a professional athlete comes into the room and they're reduced to kind of, like, you know` Teenage girls? Teenage girls? Yeah. Having stars at her beck and call gave Molly a sense that she belonged in their world. It felt amazing. Really amazing. And I felt like I was really really good at something. There was a definite rush to it. And a mainline of cash injected weekly by the good will of her winning players. Tips of 5% to 10% added up, and she says by 2009, her reported income topped $4 million. But Molly had designs on something bigger. She left the celebrities behind and moved to New York and the promise of even higher stakes. She set up a table in the posh Plaza Hotel and took aim at the Big Apple's ready supply of poker-drunk Russian billionaires and hedge fund managers. She says her take spiked up to $150,000 in a single game. I was hosting a game in New York, and there was $5 million, $7 million on the table. Even Molly admits greed got the best of her, and she was persuaded to take a cut of every pot, called a rake, which is illegal, and for the first time crossed a line. You know gambling is` is a staple of organised crime? > Yes. Yes. Did it feel wrong? Yes. Did it feel wrong? Yeah, it did. Absolutely. But you didn't quit? But you didn't quit? I did not. I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse. And just like in the movie The Godfather, Molly says when two mobsters made her an offer she couldn't refuse, that she pay them for operating on their turf, she refused. They sent somebody to my apartment, and, uh, he put a gun in my mouth. He hit me in the face and kicked me in the ribs and, um... and then just said, you know, 'I think you'll feel differently the next time, you know, we have this conversation.' Who did you call? Who did you call? I didn't call anybody. And you were deep in this world now. And you were deep in this world now. I was deep. Almost one of my first thoughts after he left was, 'How am I gonna fix my face before the next game?' You never thought about, 'I gotta get out of this world. I gotta leave'? Wow. > If a violent attack by the mob wasn't enough to get her out of the game, something else was. 17 FBI agents raided one of my games, and I` I wasn't at that game. And, um, that was terrifying. And I logged on to my bank accounts, and they were all seized, all frozen. So that was a pretty clear indication that I was in trouble. And you didn't have any money? And you didn't have any money? No money. She fled home to Colorado. I lived in` in the mountains. I started to live a very simple life. My phone was crickets. She would lie low for two years, writing a book, Molly's Game, about her journey through the world of celebrities, billionaires and poker, without knowing the ending... until the FBI finally caught up with her. You know, they put me in handcuffs and sat me down on my couch and put this piece of paper in front of me that says, 'The United States of America versus Molly Bloom.' And just last month, Molly Bloom made one more gamble, in a federal courtroom, throwing herself at the mercy of a judge by pleading guilty to illegal gambling in hopes of staying out of jail. All in with a solid hand, she won, getting off with a sentence of probation. Is there any wisdom you gleaned from observing the game of poker and what you went through? Know when to fold. Pay attention to the signs. They're there. When things start to feel like you're on the wrong path, pay attention. That's when you fold 'em? That's when you fold 'em? Yeah. If you want to see any of tonight's stories again, head to our website ` You can also email us at ` Or, of course, go to our Facebook page ` And let us know your thoughts on tonight's show. Well, thanks for all your feedback over the past week. We really appreciate it. That's our show for tonight. Next week on TV2, don't miss the two-hour season finale of Arrow.