Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
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A Boca Raton business that bills itself as a spa is a front for prostitution, say court documents that detail a lengthy investigation into the establishment by Boca police.
The O Asian Wellness Spa and Massage, based in a Glades Road office complex near the Town Center of Boca Raton mall, serves an apparently all-male clientele that pays the spa’s female employees for massages that involve sex acts, according to allegations contained in a complaint affidavit filed by a Boca Raton police officer.
Three women who worked at the
business were arrested last Friday. They include Xiaoqin Li, 50, described in arrest reports as the owner of the business, and two employees, Yan Lin, 40, and Exian Zheng, 54.
Between June 2 and 4, all three women were video-recorded accepting payments and providing massages that ended with sex acts, police said. Cops got the video after getting a judge approved a warrant which allowed investigators to secretly enter the business to install cameras, according to the affidavit.
The investigation was sparked by a complaint about the business on Jan. 1, 2012. The probe involved investigators using a variety of tactics that included doing covert surveillance, using subpoenas to obtain email records and combing websites frequented by enthusiasts of illicit massage parlors. AGPS tracking device was also installed on Li’s $42,000 BMW, police said.
“We had complaints from nearby businesses and the investigation revealed criminal activity,” said Boca Raton police spokeswoman Officer Sandra Boonenberg in an email.
Li’s attorney, Michael D. Weinstein, said it was too early for him to comment on the allegations.
“We’ll let the court process play out,” he said, adding that Li “is innocent until proven guilty.”
Between June 5, 2013 and May 20, police interviewed 12 male customers, all but one admitting to either engaging in or being offered sexual services at the spa, documents stated. It didn’t appear any of those men were arrested, according to the report.
Police also reviewed financial records. A business bank account for the spa, controlled by Li, showed that from June 2012 through November 2013 it took in approximately $200,961, documents state.
Cops also accused Li of underreporting her wages to the Florida Department of Revenue. Police said she claimed to make about $917 a month between 2012 and 2014 when her income from the business was actually $11,200 a month.
Li, who lives in Sunny Isles Beach, faces money laundering and prostitution-related charges including maintaining a house of prostitution, court records show.
Lin, of Orlando, and Zheng, whose address was listed as the spa, each face four counts of committing prostitution. While Li remained in custody, Lin and Zheng were released Saturday.
A call to the spa wasn’t answered Monday, and nobody returned a voicemail message seeking comment.