6 Arrested, Indicted in Alleged Illicit Massage Parlor Operation

RALEIGH, N.C. -- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, June 23, 2021 Department of Justice U.S. Attorney’s Office Eastern District of North Carolina

Six People Arrested and Indicted in Alleged Illicit Massage Parlor Operation

Six women from Flushing, New York, and Little River, South Carolina, were arrested on June 16 and 17, 2021, on charges involving conspiracy, bribery, and operating illegal massage parlors offering prostitution and indicted on June 22, 2021.

According to court documents, Ok Hwa Lee, Shanyu Song, OgBun Park, XueJin Bai and Ming Ji Cao allegedly conspired to pay bribes to a law enforcement officer (who was actually an undercover agent posing as a corrupt law enforcement officer) to provide protection for the operation of illegal massage parlors in Cary and Wilmington, where sexual services were offered. An indictment charges them with conspiracy, bribery, and operating an illegal prostitution enterprise in interstate commerce.

Xiang Yue Jin, charged separately, allegedly also bribed an undercover agent, believing that he would protect her illegal massage parlors (where sexual services were offered) from law enforcement scrutiny. An indictment charges her with bribery and operating an illegal prostitution enterprise in interstate commerce.

G. Norman Acker, III, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. The Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the case with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Wake County Sheriff’s Office, the Durham County Sheriff’s Office, the Cary Police Department, the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, the Wilmington Police Department, the Horry County Police Department, the United States Marshals Service, and other state and local investigators. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin C. Blondel and Bryan Stephany are prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 7:21-mj-1165-RJ and 5:21-mj-1569-RN.

An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Topic(s): 
Financial Fraud
Component(s): 
USAO - North Carolina, Eastern
Updated June 23, 2021