Three people have been arrested on charges of operating a “high-end brothel network” in Massachusetts and Virginia, according to federal prosecutors.
The Justice Department shared the news of the arrests on Wednesday, as acting US attorney for Massachusetts Joshua Levy shared that the brothels serviced elected officials, military officers, and government contractors with security clearances.
“Pick a profession,” Levy said at a press conference. “They’re probably represented in this case.”
The clients of the brothel were not identified during the press conference. But, Levy did share that multiple search warrants are being executed in the case in Massachusetts, California, and Virginia.
As for those running the brothel, Han Lee, 41, of Cambridge, Massachusetts; James Lee, 68, of Torrance, California; and Junmyung Lee, 30, of Dedham, Massachusetts, were arrested and charged with conspiracy to coerce and entice to travel to engage in illegal sexual activity.
The three individuals are accused of transporting women and advertising them online for pre-approved clients to choose from. The brothels were operated out of apartments that they had rented.
“This case goes back to the summer of 2022 when investigators identified several buyers through surveillance phone records and interviews,” Levy said. “The buyers who made up this ring hail from an array of professions.”
Even worse, Levy shared that there are potentially “hundreds of individuals” who used the brothel network and that the investigation is only in its early stages.
“They are doctors, they are lawyers, they are accountants, they are elected officials, they are executives of high tech companies and pharmaceutical companies, they are military officers, government contractors, professors, scientists. They are the men who fuel this commercial sex ring,” Levy said.
In order to use the network, Levy shared that they had to fill out a survey, providing pictures of their driver’s licenses, their employer information, credit card information, and more.
The brothel network operated several websites to solicit customers, but two were primarily used. According to an affidavit filed in court, the two websites advertised appointments with Asian women.
The documents said that nearly 20 sex workers were interviewed in connection with the multiyear investigation.
The investigation remains ongoing.