Three individuals have been indicted on charges of operating brothels in Massachusetts and Washington, D.C., which allegedly catered to an elite clientele, including political and military figures.
The operation reportedly generated over a million dollars, according to a leading federal investigator involved in the case.
The affidavit, submitted to the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts by the Department of Homeland Security, identifies the alleged masterminds behind the operation as James Lee from California, and Han Lee and Junmyung Lee from Massachusetts. The trio allegedly ran the illicit business from upscale apartments in Massachusetts and the suburbs of Washington, D.C., since 2020, amassing significant wealth in the process.
The affidavit further reveals that the defendants maintained meticulous records of the operation's financial transactions. "I do not believe that HAN has legitimate employment but I do believe she has made an astounding amount of money running her prostitution business over the last several years," wrote DHS Special Agent Zachary Mitlitsky, referring to the alleged principal orchestrator of the operation.
The document also discloses that two of Han Lee's bank accounts accumulated $965,000, primarily in cash, from December 2019 to October 2023. It is suspected that she has access to additional offshore accounts.
Earlier this month, the Department of Justice charged the three individuals following the operation's exposure. If found guilty, they could face up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and fines of up to $250,000.
Prosecutors allege that the brothels in the D.C. area were located in apartment complexes in Fairfax and Tysons, Virginia, and catered to a diverse clientele. The defendants purportedly leased the apartments and covered the transportation and flight costs for the prostitutes.
The prosecution also stated that the defendants advertised the prostitution services at rates ranging from $350 to $600. They required clients to provide extensive personal information, including full name, birth date, credit card details, employer information, and websites, along with a reference if available.
The clientele allegedly included individuals from various professional fields, such as politicians, pharmaceutical executives, doctors, military officers, government contractors with security clearances, professors, lawyers, business executives, technology company executives, scientists, accountants, retail employees, and students.
An investigator noted that "there are potentially hundreds of yet to be identified customers that may include other professional disciplines not included in the list above," although the DOJ has not provided any additional details regarding the clientele.
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