TL/DR –
US prosecutors have charged three people with running a high-end brothel network across Boston and northern Virginia, with customers including politicians, lawyers, professors, and executives in the tech and pharmaceutical industries. The defendants, Han Lee, Junmyung Lee, and James Lee, allegedly used apartment complexes as brothels, charging clients between $350-$600 per hour for sexual encounters with predominantly Asian women, who were being exploited through sex trafficking. Authorities also seized two websites related to the prostitution ring and are continuing to gather more evidence.
Boston Brothel Network Bust Involves High-Profile Clients
Three individuals were charged on Wednesday by U.S. prosecutors for operating a high-end brothel network in Boston and northern Virginia. The clientele of this illicit operation allegedly included elected officials, pharmaceutical and tech executives, lawyers, professors, and military officers.
While the Boston federal prosecutors haven’t disclosed the identity of these “wealthy and well-connected clientele”, they have stated that clients paid up to $600 per hour for sexual encounters with mainly Asian women who were victims of sex trafficking.
Acting U.S. Attorney Josh Levy announced charges against the alleged operators of the brothels: Han Lee, 41, Junmyung Lee, 30, from Massachusetts and James Lee, 68, from California. Levy stated that the investigation is in its early stages and authorities are gathering more evidence after executing search warrants across Massachusetts, Virginia, and California.
As part of the operation to dismantle the network, authorities have seized the domains of two websites linked to the prostitution ring. “We’re committed to working closely with our federal, state, and local partners to hold accountable the people who both ran this ring and the people who fueled the demand for this ring,” Levy said at a press conference.
The three defendants, who aren’t related, were all arrested on Wednesday and charged with conspiring to coerce and entice women to travel to engage in illegal sexual activity.
According to charging documents, Han Lee and his co-defendants used high-end apartment complexes as brothels in Massachusetts and Virginia, with appointments advertised on two websites. Clients were subject to a vetting process, providing their driver’s license photos and employers’ names. Levy added that clients “often paid a monthly fee to be part of this illicit club.”
The customer base included politicians, pharmaceutical and tech executives, doctors, military officers, professors, lawyers, business executives, scientists, and accountants, with charges ranging from $350 to $600, depending on the services, prosecutors revealed.
Nate Raymond reports on the federal judiciary and litigation. He can be reached at nate.raymond@thomsonreuters.com.
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