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Is Popular Dating Site Promoting Prostitution?

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — A prominent web site is making its mark on the world of online dating, but is it really just a vehicle for prostitution?

It's called "sugar dating," and it's all about the sweet life - where the men are generous, and the women…? They've got to be hot. Sugar babies, as they're called, trade their youth and beauty for a seat in the lap of luxury with a sugar daddy.

Brandon Wade is the creator of seekingarrangement.com, one of the fastest growing sugar dating sites. Wade says his site is a venue for couples who are looking to create a "mutually beneficial" relationship — or as many sugar daters call it, an "arrangement."

"It's fun, it's drama free," says one sugar baby. "I hate drama."

In the world of sugar dating, potential partners are up front about what they want. One baby freely states on her profile that she's looking for a long-term arrangement with an "allowance" from daddy.

A daddy says he's willing to spend between $10-20,000 per month on his baby.

Sugar baby Milena, 25, from West Hollywood defends herself against suggestions that these arrangements may be considered prostitution. She says in the world of sugar dating, there has to be chemistry.

"The difference between a hooker and a sugar baby," says Milena, is "a hooker will sleep with the guy for money. But I can't do this if I don't like the guy."

Wade too insists sugar dating is different from prostitution. "We are not talking about a one-hour arrangement," he says. "We're talking about two people, one having the wealth, the other having the beauty, and meeting. Just like any other dating site, eventually evolving into something that is intimate."

Milena says she just wants a man who will treat her right. "What I'm looking for is a man who is established, composed…who has the wherewithal to live the kind of life I want to live."

A mutual arrangement works best for a sugar daddy like Wagner from Hollywood. He says he wants companionship, but is too busy for a traditional relationship. "Am I looking for a kept woman to be at my beck and call? Absolutely not," says Wagner. "I want beauty, brains, and emotional stability."

And if you're going to date Wagner, he says he's going to pay for things.

Membership at seekingarrangement.com costs $50 for daddies — or mommies. Babies get in for free. The site caters to wealthy men, with a ratio of ten sugar babies to each sugar daddy. There's a special membership option that requires ultra wealthy men to have their net worth verified.

The site boasts about 1 million members.

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