Part owner of local ‘illicit’ massage parlors and two associates sentenced - WECT

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WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - A woman who was part owner of two ‘illicit’ massage parlors in Wilmington and two associates were sentenced to a combined six years in prison on Thursday, April 20.

The sentencing is for the three’s involvement in an ‘illicit massage parlor operation’ and attempts to bribe law enforcement between August 2020 and June 2021, according to U.S. Attorney Michael Easley for the Eastern District of N.C.

The leader, 55-year-old Ok Hwa Lee, was sentenced to 34 months in prison Thursday and pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy and two counts of bribing a public official on Nov. 10.

Part owner of two local massage parlors Xuejin Bai, 51, was sentenced to 12 months and one day Thursday and pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy on Dec. 12, 2022. Shanyu Song, 50, was sentenced to 26 months Thursday and pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy on Dec. 12, 2022.

Lee, Song and Bai were required to forfeit $151,000, $146,000 and $55,000, respectively.

“Lee, Song, and Bai were arrested as part of a broad undercover operation for attempting to bribe law enforcement officers to provide protection for their illicit massage parlors where sexual services were being offered in Cary, Durham, and Wilmington, North Carolina,” states the announcement, citing court documents and information provided in court.

“During the investigation, an undercover HSI agent met with Lee, Song, Bai, and other individuals who provided more than $18,000 in bribes to the agent, believing that the bribes would provide protection from unwanted law enforcement inquiries at the various massage parlors. Song was Lee’s main accomplice within the organization and Bai was a part owner of two illicit massage parlors in Wilmington,” the announcement continues.

On June 16 of 2021, law enforcement coordinated a takedown in four federal districts, eight different massage parlors and multiple homes. Six were arrested, including Lee, Song, Bai and two others who were sentenced earlier this year.

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