(WWJ) – Three women are facing charges for allegedly running prostitution and human trafficking ring in Metro Detroit.
Last Wednesday the Macomb County Sheriff’s Enforcement Team (SET) executed a series of nine search warrants across six Metro Detroit cities in three counties, leading to one woman’s arrest.
Xiaohong Ban of Chicago was arraigned on one count of prostitution / keeping a house of ill fame, a five-year felony. Ban, 52, received a $10,000 personal bond and was ordered to wear a GPS tether.
Two other women — 31-year-old Lori Cai of Troy, Mich., and 41-year-old Shuying Ding of Appleton, Wisc. — have also been identified as suspects in the case. While neither is in custody, the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office says each will face the same charges as Ban. Felony warrants have been issued for their arrest.
It’s all part of a yearlong investigation that officials say revealed “online sexual advertisements posted for specific establishments with female workers being encouraged to solicit sexual acts to customers.”
The female workers at these establishments were primarily Asian with no means of transportation and no place to live, often sleeping at the establishments, according to the sheriff’s office.
“Furthermore, the workers did not earn an hourly rate and would only get paid based off their services and tips,” a press release from the sheriff’s office said. “These workers appeared to rotate establishments approximately every 45 days or sooner if they did not provide enough money for the spa, often traveling back and forth across state lines to Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin.”
Authorities say illegal proceeds from these establishments were being used at MGM Grand Casino in Detroit. Investigators believe this method was used to hide money. Additionally, money from these establishments was sent overseas to China, officials said.
Ban, Cai and Ding were all identified as “persons of interest that provided transport, operated, and maintained these illegal prostitution establishments,” officials said.
Last Wednesday authorities searched multiple locations across Metro Detroit, including five Asian spas, two homes — one in Troy and one in Livonia — and two hotel rooms at MGM Grand.
The spas that were searched include:
• Seven Day Spa - 289 Southbound Gratiot, Mt. Clemens, MI
• Miracle Massage - 31044 Utica Rd, Fraser, MI
• Day Spa Asian Massage - 46697 Van Dyke, Shelby Township, MI
• Seven Mile Spa - 28917 West 7 Mile, Livonia, MI
• Bodyworks Massage - 9138 Middlebelt, Livonia, MI
In addition to Ban’s arrest, seven other women were arrested, as well as one man, as a result of the search warrants. Their identities were not released. Two women and the man were turned over to Border Patrol for an overstay on their visas.
Possible charges against the other arrestees were not disclosed.
Additionally, five other women were released, pending misdemeanor charges.
Representatives from Turning Point Macomb — a social services organization — were on site and provided resources for those individuals in need of support. Multiple women sought assistance from Turning Point and were provided with a safe place to stay, officials said.
Authorities seized about $35,000 in cash and $6,700 in Canadian currency, along with 22 cell phones, a laptop and a tablet. Investigators are currently in the process of reviewing the electronic devices.
The sheriff’s office was assisted by several state and federal authorities, including the FBI, Border Patrol, US Customs and Michigan State Police, as well as multiple local agencies.
The investigation is ongoing.