Raleigh, N.C.
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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 in North Carolina, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina.
The indictment charges Ok Hwa Lee, Shanyu Song, OgBun Park, XueJin Bai, Ming Ji Cao, and Xiang Yue Jin with conspiracy, bribery, and operating an illegal prostitution enterprise in interstate commerce. The women allegedly conspired to pay bribes to a law enforcement officer to provide protection for the operation of illegal massage parlors in Cary and Wilmington, where sexual services were offered.
G. Norman Acker, III, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. The investigation was conducted by the Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations, along 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. The indictment is merely an accusation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, with case numbers 7:21-mj-1165-RJ and 5:21-mj-1569-RN. A copy of the press release is located on the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina website.
According to court documents, the women allegedly bribed the undercover agent, who was posing as a corrupt law enforcement officer, to provide protection for their massage parlors. The parlors were located in Cary and Wilmington, where customers were offered sexual services in exchange for money.
The investigation into the women’s alleged activities began in 2021 and has been ongoing since then. The defendants will face charges for their alleged involvement in the operation of the massage parlors and the bribery of law enforcement officials.
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Key Facts
- State: North Carolina
- Category: Sex Crimes|Public Corruption|Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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