Lead Defendant in Federal Case Against High-End Brothel Network Pleads Guilty

BOSTON – The manager responsible for operating an interstate prostitution network of sophisticated high-end brothels in greater Boston and eastern Virginia pleaded guilty today. 

Han Lee, 42, of Cambridge, Mass., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce one or more individuals to travel in interstate or foreign commerce to engage in prostitution; and one count of money laundering conspiracy. U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick scheduled sentencing for Dec. 20, 2024. Han Lee was arrested and charged in November 2023 with co-defendants Junmyung Lee, 31, of Dedham, Mass., and James Lee, 69, of Torrance, Calif. The defendants were subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2024.

From at least July 2020, Han Lee operated an interstate prostitution network with multiple brothels in Cambridge and Watertown, Mass., as well as in Fairfax and Tysons, Va. The defendant established the infrastructure for these brothels in multiple states for the purposes of persuading, inducing and enticing women – primarily Asian women – to travel to Massachusetts and Virginia to engage in prostitution. 

Specifically, Han Lee and, allegedly, her co-defendants, rented high-end apartments as brothel locations, which they furnished and regularly maintained. It is further alleged that the defendants coordinated the women’s airline travel and transportation and permitted them to stay overnight in the brothel locations so they did not have to find lodging elsewhere, therefore enticing women to participate in their prostitution network. To protect and maintain the secrecy of the business and ensure that the women did not draw attention to the prostitution work inside apartment buildings, Han Lee and, allegedly, her co-defendants established house rules for the women during their stays.  

The defendants allegedly advertised their prostitution network and offered appointments with women in either greater Boston or eastern Virginia via bostontopten10.com and browneyesgirlsva.blog, respectively. Both websites purported to advertise nude models for professional photography at upscale studios as a front for prostitution offered through appointments. Investigators searched and seized the domain names for both websites pursuant to search warrants executed in November 2023.

Additionally, each website described a verification process that interested sex buyers undertook to become eligible for appointment bookings– including requiring that clients complete a form providing their full names, email address, phone number, employer and reference if they had one. Han Lee and, allegedly, her co-defendants persuaded the women to work for their prostitution network because the business maintained a regular customer base of men that were adequately screened, ensuring that the customers were not members of law enforcement or men who posed a risk to the safety and security of the commercial sex workers.

Han Lee and, allegedly, her co-defendants maintained local brothel phone numbers which they used to communicate with verified customers and schedule appointments via text messages; send customers a “menu” of available options at the brothel, including the women and sexual services available and the hourly rate; and to text customers directions to the brothel’s location where they engaged in commercial sex with the women. 

According to the charging documents, the defendants charged sex buyers a premium price for appointments with the women advertised on their websites, which ranged from approximately $350 to upwards of $600 per hour depending on the services and were paid in cash.

To conceal the proceeds of the prostitution network, Han Lee deposited hundreds of thousands of dollars of cash proceeds into personal and third-party bank accounts and peer-to-peer transfers. Additionally, it is alleged that the defendants regularly used hundreds of thousands of dollars of the cash proceeds from the prostitution business to purchase money orders (in values under an amount that would trigger reporting and identification requirements) to conceal the source of the funds. These money orders were then used to pay for rent and utilities at brothel locations in Massachusetts and Virginia.

Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov.

The charge of conspiracy to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce one or more individuals to travel in interstate or foreign commerce to engage in prostitution provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of money laundering conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $500,000 fine or twice the value of funds laundered, whatever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Cambridge Police Commissioner Christine Elow made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Central District of California; Eastern District of Virginia; U.S. Postal Service; and Watertown Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey E. Weinstein of the Criminal Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Raquelle Kaye, of the Asset Recovery Unit are prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.