Zhejun Piao, Maya Choi, Prostitution Promotion, New Jersey 2026

Husband and Wife Admit to Promoting Prostitution in Illicit Massage Parlors

TRENTON, N.J. - A husband and wife, Zhejun Piao, 38, and Miyeon Choi, a/k/a 'Maya,' 38, both of Palisades Park, New Jersey, admitted to conspiring to promote prostitution in spas in New Jersey and New York. The couple pleaded guilty on May 26, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi in Trenton federal court to an Information charging them with one count of conspiracy to commit interstate travel and use of the mail and any facility in aid of a racketeering enterprise.

According to documents filed in the cases and statements made in court, Choi admitted to being a leader or organizer of the conspiracy in which she, Piao, and other co-conspirators owned or operated nine massage parlors. The spas, often referred to as spas, operated in a similar way, with women workers providing sexual services to paying customers in exchange for a fee of $160 or $175. Many of the spas provided customers with loyalty or rewards cards whereby customers would receive a stamp for each visit and receive a free visit after collecting a certain number of stamps.

The spas typically opened for service from approximately 8:00 am to midnight, seven days a week, with many of the women living at the spas. According to ledgers for the spas, some of the women performed sexual services to approximately 20 men a day. As a leader of the conspiracy, Choi admitted to recruiting women to work at the spas, communicating with customers by phone to book appointments, controlling the money generated by the spas, and advertising the sexual services offered at the spas online.

Piao admitted to delivering supplies to the spas, including groceries, mouthwash, cleaning supplies, medications, and condoms. Both Choi and Piao admitted to storing tens of thousands of condoms in their home, in addition to approximately $1.2 million in cash. As part of their guilty pleas, Choi and Piao agreed to forfeit the cash, numerous designer handbags, luxury watches, and jewelry.

The charge of conspiracy to commit interstate travel and use of the mail and any facility in aid of a racketeering enterprise carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for October 6, 2026.

U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, the U.S. State Department, Diplomatic Security Service, and the New Jersey State Police for their assistance in the case. Both Choi and Piao are currently free on bail pending sentencing.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-nj/pr/husband-and-wife-admit-promoting-prostitution-illicit-massage-parlors-new-jersey-and-new