The " isn 't it a pity " theme frequently contrasts the heavy price paid by Ms. Palfrey and the women who worked for her -- the life-wrecking , highly publicized prosecution that led to Ms. Palfrey 's conviction last month on racketeering and money-laundering charges ( though notably , not for anything directly to do with paid sex ) -- with the light-to-nonexistent consequences suffered by most of the " johns " who patronized her escort service .