Current:Home > Contact-us2 charged with operating sex ring that catered to wealthy clients will remain behind bars for now-DB Wealth Institute B2 Expert Reviews
2 charged with operating sex ring that catered to wealthy clients will remain behind bars for now
View Date:2024-12-24 09:49:14
WORCESTER, Mass. (AP) — Two people accused of operating a high-end brothel network with wealthy and prominent clients in Massachusetts and the Washington, D.C., suburbs will remain behind bars for now, a judge said on Wednesday.
Lawyers for Han Lee and Junmyung Lee agreed to a voluntary order of detention during a brief court hearing two weeks after their arrest. Magistrate Judge David Hennessy in Worcester, Massachusetts, entered the order without prejudice, which means defense lawyers can move for their release at a later date.
Their attorneys declined to comment after the hearing.
Authorities have said the commercial sex ring in Massachusetts and northern Virginia catered to politicians, company executives, military officers, lawyers, professors and other well-connected clients.
Prosecutors have not publicly named any of the buyers and they have not been charged. But acting Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Josh Levy has said the investigation is ongoing and that prosecutors are committed to holding accountable both those who ran the scheme and those who fueled the demand.
Prosecutors have argued Han Lee and Junmyung Lee pose a risk of flight, pointing to their financial resources and lack of ties to the community. A Homeland Security Investigations agent said in court papers filed Wednesday that authorities believe Han Lee made an “astounding” amount of money as the leader of the operation.
It was run using websites that falsely claimed to advertise nude Asian models for professional photography, prosecutors allege. The operators rented high-end apartments to use as brothels in Watertown and Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Tysons and Fairfax, Virginia, prosecutors said.
Authorities say Han Lee recruited women and maintained the websites and brothels. She paid Junmyung Lee, who was one of her employees, between $6,000 to $8,000 in cash per month in exchange for his work booking appointments for the buyers and bringing women to the brothels, among other things, the agent wrote.
Prosecutors believe the operators raked in hundreds of dollars through the network, where men paid upwards of $600 per hour for services. Officials say Han Lee concealed more than $1 million in proceeds from the ring by converting the cash into money orders, among other things, to make it look legitimate.
Authorities seized from their apartments cash, ledgers detailing the activities of the brothels and phones believed to be used to communicate with the sex customers, according to court papers. The agent wrote investigators at Han Lee’s home also found items indicative of her “lavish and extravagant spending habits,” including luxury shoes and bags.
A third person charged in the case, James Lee, was arrested in California and was ordered by a judge there to remain behind bars while he awaits trial. He has yet to appear in court in Massachusetts.
veryGood! (375)
Related
- DWTS’ Sasha Farber and Jenn Tran Prove They're Closer Than Ever Amid Romance Rumors
- Why New York City is sinking
- Ghost guns found at licensed day care: Police
- Damaging fraud ruling could spell the end of Donald Trump's New York business empire
- 5-year-old boy who went missing while parent was napping is found dead near Oregon home, officials say
- Boyfriend of missing mother arrested in connection with her 2015 disappearance
- Chinese immigrant workers sue over forced labor at illegal marijuana operation on Navajo land
- Koepka only identifies with 3 letters at Ryder Cup: USA, not LIV
- Kentucky woman seeking abortion files lawsuit over state bans
- 2 bodies were found in a search for a pilot instructor and a student in a downed plane
Ranking
- Engines on 1.4 million Honda vehicles might fail, so US regulators open an investigation
- In need of an iPhone 15 charging cable? Here's how to find the best USB-C charger cord
- M.S. Swaminathan, who helped India’s farming to grow at industrial scale, dies at 98
- UAW to announce next round of strike targets Friday: 'Everything is on the table'
- US Open finalist Taylor Fritz talks League of Legends, why he hated tennis and how he copied Sampras
- Backstreet Boys’ AJ McLean Celebrates 2 Years of Sobriety After “One Hell of a Journey”
- Bank that handles Infowars money appears to be cutting ties with Alex Jones’ company, lawyer says
- Who won 'AGT'? Dog trainer Adrian Stoica, furry friend Hurricane claim victory in Season 18 finale
Recommendation
-
Shawn Mendes Confesses He and Camila Cabello Are No Longer the Closest
-
Stock market today: Asian shares fall over China worries, Seoul trading closed for a holiday
-
Rights watchdog accuses the World Bank of complicity in rights abuses around Tanzanian national park
-
Proof Patrick Mahomes Was Enchanted to Meet Taylor Swift After Game With Travis Kelce
-
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich had a stroke earlier this month, is expected to make full recovery
-
A fire breaks out for the second time at a car battery factory run by Iran’s Defense Ministry
-
Oh Bother! Winnie, poo and deforestation
-
White Sox executive named Perfect Game's new commissioner: 'I want to make a difference'