East Brunswick – Four individuals have been charged with operating a series of illicit massage parlors across New Jersey and New York, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced on August 9th.
Zhejun Piao, 37, a Chinese national, Miyeon Choi, 37, a South Korean national, Shangxian Cui, 36, Chinese national, and Meixiang Jin, 34, of Palisades Park, New Jersey, face charges of conspiracy to commit interstate travel or transportation in aid of a racketeering enterprise.
The defendants were arrested on August 8, 2024, and subsequently released following their initial appearances in Newark federal court.
According to court documents and statements, the defendants owned and operated illicit massage parlors in both states, allegedly offering sexual services in exchange for money since at least May 2017.
The New Jersey spas include Good Day Spa in East Brunswick, Coco Spa in Paterson, Gold Spa in Passaic, 785 Spa in Passaic, Bergen Acupressure in Fairview, Queen Spa in Edgewater, Hawaii Spa in Edgewater, and Spa Wellness in Toms River. The New York spa includes New Soothing Day Spa in New Rochelle.
The spas reportedly advertised sexual services online, posting images of female sex workers and descriptions of services. Law enforcement gathered evidence indicating the defendants’ knowledge of and involvement in these illegal operations.
For instance, emails revealed Choi received draft advertisements for the spas, and records showed Choi and Piao transferring cryptocurrency to an online advertisement company. Additionally, Cui was observed transporting supplies to the spas, making suspected cash pickups, and depositing over $50,000 in cash with Jin into a bank account.
The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The government’s case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey S. Smith and Javon Henry.
The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger acknowledged the collaborative efforts of various agencies in the investigation, including Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. State Department, the New Jersey State Police, and several local and federal law
