4 Nabbed In Federal Sex Trafficking Probe Linked To New Rochelle 'Spa'

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY — The doors to the New Soothing Day Spa in New Rochelle are closed following a federal probe into a sex trafficking network operating from the business, according to the DOJ.

The sting involved undercover agents, surveillance, phone taps and forensic accounting investigations by dozens of state, federal and local law enforcement agencies.

Four have been charged with operating a series of illicit massage parlors in New Jersey and New York, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

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, are charged by complaint with one count of conspiracy to commit interstate travel or transportation in aid of a racketeering enterprise.

All four were arrested on Thursday and made their initial appearances in Newark federal court. They were all released.

From at least May 2017, the four owned, operated, and derived money from illicit massage parlors or spas in New Jersey and New York that they knew had been offering sexual services in exchange for money, according to investigators. 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 only New York spa involved was the New Soothing Day Spa in New Rochelle.

Each of the spas advertised sexual services on various online platforms by posting images of the female sex workers and describing the sexual services offered, according to law enforcement. In at least one case, prosecutors say those advertisements included mention of rewards program punch cards promising free services on the eighth visit. Investigators said another online promotion described a female sex worker as "very young (20s)" and "cute" and suggested that others "[t]ry her when she is fresh and innocent."

Investigators say they built a case with evidence demonstrating each of the four had personal knowledge of, and involvement in, the illegal operation.

Prosecutors say that evidence includes emails obtained by law enforcement showing that Choi received what appear to be draft advertisements for the spas, and other emails and records showing Choi and Piao transferred cryptocurrency to an online advertisement company. Federal investigators also documented Cui transporting supplies, including mouthwash and paper towels, to the spas, as well as making suspected cash pickups, and depositing over $50,000 of cash with Jin into a bank account.

The charge of conspiracy to commit interstate travel or transportation in aid of a racketeering enterprise carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

Sellinger credited the wide-ranging, multi-agency sting for uncovering the illicit interstate sex-trade operation.

He singled out for praise, special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker; the U.S. State Department, Diplomatic Security Service; and the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan, with the investigation. He also thanked HSI New York, Hudson Valley Office; Customs and Border Protection; the Passaic County Prosecutors Office; the Passaic County Sheriff; the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office; the Bergen County Sheriff; the Edgewater Police Department; the Fairview Police Department; the Paterson Police Department; the East Brunswick Police Department; the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice; the South Toms River Police Department; the Edison Police Department; the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office; the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office; the New Rochelle Police Department; the Westchester District Attorney’s Office; Federal Air Marshals; New York State Police; ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations; and the Palisades Park Police Department.