US federal prosecutors have arrested three individuals in connection with operating sophisticated high-end brothels in greater Boston and eastern Virginia. According to a press release by the Department of Justice (DoJ), commercial sex buyers allegedly included elected officials, high-tech and pharmaceutical executives, doctors, military officers, government contractors that possess security clearances, professors, attorneys, scientists and accountants, among others.
The three arrested accused have been charged with conspiracy to coerce and entice to travel to engage in illegal sexual activity. The accused have been identified as Han Lee, 41; James Lee, 68 and Junmyung Lee, 30.
Interstate prostitution network primarily targeted Asian women
As per the charges, the accused operated in an interstate prostitution network with multiple brothels in Cambridge and Watertown, Massachusettes as well as in Fairfax and Tysons, Virginia.
The DoJ stated that the accused “collectively established the infrastructure for brothels in multiple states which they used to persuade, induce and entice women – primarily Asian women – to travel to Massachusetts and Virginia to engage in prostitution”.
High-end apartment complexes rented for prostitution
The accused allegedly rented high-end apartment complexes as brother locations. The apartments were furnished and maintained regularly. The monthly rent for the brother locations were as high as $3,664.
Moreover, the accused coordinated the women’s airline travel and transportation and permitted women to stay overnight in the brothel locations so they did not have to find lodging elsewhere, therefore enticing women to participate in their prostitution network.
Modelling websites set up as a front for prostitution
The accused allegedly advertised their prostitution network primarily on two websites – bostontopten10.com and browneyesgirlsva.blog – which offered appointments with women in either greater Boston or eastern Virginia, respectively. The domain bostontopten10.com has been seized by U.S. Homeland Security Investigations.
Both websites purported to advertise nude Asian models for professional photography at upscale studios as a front for prostitution offered through appointments with women listed on their websites. The websites listed the height, weight and bust size of women available for appointments and depicted nude and/or semi-nude photographs of each.
The women listed as available on the websites updated frequently, with updates to include “coming soon” or “open” to reflect an impending arrival of new women arriving in the area.
Buyers went through a “verification process”, and were sent “menu” of options by the accused
Each website described a verification process that interested sex buyers undertook to be eligible for appointment bookings – including requiring clients to complete a form providing their full names, email addresses, phone numbers, employer and reference if they had one.
The accused separately maintained local brothel phone numbers which they used to communicate with “verified customers” and schedule appointments via text message. In these text message exchanges, the defendants allegedly sent customers a “menu” of available options at the brothel, including the women and sexual services available and the hourly rate.
Additionally, the defendants allegedly texted customers directions to the brothel’s location – high-end apartments – where they engaged in commercial sex with the women.
Accused were paid in cash, proceeds of crime and source of funds concealed
The accused charged sex buyers a premium price for appointments with the women advertised on their websites, which ranged from approximately $350 to upwards of $600 per hour depending on the services and were paid in cash.
The proceeds of the prostitution network were concealed by depositing hundreds of thousands of dollars of cash proceeds into their personal bank accounts and peer-to-peer transfers. They regularly used hundreds of thousands of dollars of the cash proceeds from the prostitution business to purchase money orders (in values under an amount that would trigger reporting and identification requirements) to conceal the source of the funds.
These money orders were then used to pay for rent and utilities at brothel locations in Massachusetts and Virginia.
Chats from the racket exposed
NBC10 Boston reporter Abbey Niezgoda took to X, formerly Twitter, to share the image of a standee showing the nature of the racket. The standee shows an explicit image of a woman with the text, “Modeling shoots available. Do not forget that our time is also as important as your time is and unregistered numbers will not contact!! 10:30 am – 10 pm at upscale studio. We have some changes!! Ask for Text. 30 min, 1 hour/1rd/2rd, 1 hour 30 min. Verification form for 1st time photographers. P411 ID for Ter ID Welcome.”
NOW: Massachusetts US Attorney announcing the arrest of 3 people charged with operating a high-end brothel network. Sex buyers allegedly included elected officials, doctors, military officers and government contractors. @NBC10Boston pic.twitter.com/SAhXW7C8ma
— Abbey Niezgoda NBC10 Boston (@AbbeyNBCBoston) November 8, 2023
Another standee shows an image of a chat from the sex service was also shared by the reporter on X. The explicit chat shows a buyer inquiring about the service. “Like 8:45? Mimi?” the alleged buyer asks.
The racket operator replies, “9pm available. Donations for Kara or Tina or Mimi or Alina. There is no discount for BB, if you get caught making direct deals with girls, we won’t accept any more appointments. Also, if you go into the GFE and upgrade to BB, Please Pay First!!. Do not share with other girls, they don’t like it!!”
Elected officials, politicians, military officials bought service
Investigators have identified a wide array of buyers including, but not limited to, elected officials, politicians, high-tech and pharmaceutical executives, doctors, military officers, government contractors that possess security clearances, professors, lawyers, scientists and accountants.
According to the US Attorney’s Office for Massachusetts, the “commercial sex ring was built on secrecy and exclusivity”. The acting U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts Joshua Levy said, “Pick a profession, they are probably represented in this case.”
The customers were reportedly identified through surveillance, phone records, customer interviews and other investigative methods. Moreover, the document noted that there could be hundreds more customers who haven’t been identified by investigators.
The website for the Boston-based racket has been seized by the government but the the website for the Virginia-based business remained active as on 8th November. Prosecutors have said that they are determined to hold accountable both, those who ran the racket and those who “fueled the demand for it”.
