CHANG YOUNG KIM, Interstate Prostitution and Money Laundering Conspiracies and Tax Fraud, Washington 2012

Sex Trafficker Sentenced to 72 Months in Prison for Interstate Prostitution and Money Laundering Conspiracies, and Tax Fraud

CHANG YOUNG KIM, 59, of Milton, Washington, has been sentenced to 72 months in prison for conspiring to transport individuals for prostitution, engaging in money laundering, bribery of a public official, and tax evasion.

KIM owned the Blue Moon Korean bar in Federal Way, Washington, where he utilized Korean National women working illegally as 'bar girls' and prostitutes. He pleaded guilty in November 2012 to the charges.

During the investigation, it was discovered that KIM used 'madam' Miyoung Roberts, 42, of Auburn, Washington, to recruit and manage over two dozen 'bar girls', arranging their transportation from Korea to the U.S. KIM and his co-defendants arranged apartments for the women to live in and supervised some of the women's prostitution activities.

KIM was also found to have offered and paid $15,000 to a Washington State Liquor Control Board investigator in an attempt to bribe them. In a separate scheme, KIM convinced two clients of his real estate company, Royal Realty, to invest $400,000 in the purchase of a Cle Elum, Washington motel, but there was no deal to purchase the property and KIM used the money for his own expenses. Additionally, KIM attempted to evade over $1.6 million in income taxes by failing to report income and putting assets in other people's names.

KIM was sentenced to 72 months in prison and five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $112,050 in restitution and over $1.6 million in back taxes and penalties to the Internal Revenue Service.

U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan stated that KIM was a 'one-man criminal enterprise' and the 'most instrumental of everyone on a host of fronts.'

The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), the Washington State Liquor Control Board (WSLCB), the Federal Way Police Department, Lakewood Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ye-Ting Woo.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdwa/pr/pierce-county-man-sentenced-72-months-prison-interstate-prostitution-and-money