NEWARK, NJ – Today, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced charges against four individuals accused of operating illicit massage parlors in New Jersey and New York. The defendants, Zhejun Piao, 37, a Chinese national, Miyeon Choi, 37, a South Korean national, Shangxian Cui, 36, a Chinese national, and Meixiang Jin, 34, of Palisades Park, New Jersey, face charges of conspiracy to commit interstate travel or transportation in aid of a racketeering enterprise.
Arrested on August 8, 2024, all four made their initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge James B. Clark III in Newark federal court and were subsequently released.
The operation included multiple spas in both states, such as Coco Spa in Paterson, Gold Spa in Passaic, and New Soothing Day Spa in New Rochelle.
The operation solicited customers on social media. Advertisements on X offered massage services in Toms River for $305 for a ‘tree top’ massage with “fireworks all day long” according to archived pages on the internet.
Other local massage parlors are still operating similarly, including one ‘by the Ocean County Mall’ and one in Howell Township.
“From at least May 2017, the defendants owned, operated, and derived money from illicit massage parlors or spas in New Jersey and New York that, as the defendants knew, had been offering sexual services in exchange for money. The New Jersey spas include Coco Spa in Paterson, Gold Spa in Passaic, 785 Spa in Passaic, Bergen Acupressure in Fairview, Queen Spa in Edgewater, Hawaii Spa in Edgewater, Good Day Spa in East Brunswick, and Spa Wellness in Toms River. The New York spa includes New Soothing Day Spa in New Rochelle,” the Department of Justice said in a statement.
These establishments reportedly offered sexual services for money and actively advertised these services on various online platforms, utilizing images of female sex workers and descriptions of the services available.
Evidence gathered by law enforcement includes emails and financial transactions that indicate the defendants’ direct involvement and awareness of the operations. Notably, Choi and Piao were found transferring cryptocurrency for spa advertisements, and Cui was observed managing logistical support for the facilities, including the transportation of supplies and handling of cash.
The investigation was a collaborative effort involving multiple agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations Newark, the U.S. State Department, Diplomatic Security Service, and the New Jersey State Police, among others.
The defendants could face up to five years in prison and fines up to $250,000 if convicted. U.S. Attorney Sellinger has acknowledged the efforts of all participating law enforcement agencies in addressing this significant criminal enterprise.
