Can you blame them? Given what they used to do and what some of their clientele were like, they have earned a little paranoia. They have lots of options when they are in the club working but once they are on the street, it is just them.
This could very well show up in a background check, depending on the field of work and the type of check done, even if it's not a criminal order. You need an attorney to help you deal with this. Your passion, for lack of a better word, in this thread would indicate you would not do well in court.

