Pair accused of running 'high-end brothels' in Boston area appear in Worcester court

WORCESTER — Two people accused of running “sophisticated high-end brothels” in Greater Boston and eastern Virginia were in federal court in Worcester Monday.

Commercial sex buyers allegedly included elected officials, high tech and pharmaceutical executives, doctors, military officers, government contractors who possess security clearances, professors, attorneys, scientists and accountants, among others, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

According to the criminal complaint filed by Special Agent Zachary Mitlitsky, Han A. Lee, 41, of Cambridge, and Junmyung Lee, 30, of Dedham, are both charged with conspiracy to coerce and entice to travel to engage in illegal sexual activity.

They are accused of advertising women for commercial sex via at least two different websites, under the guise of professional nude photo shoots, and establishing brothels in order to facilitate the engagement of commercial sex, according to the criminal complaint.

One of the websites focused its advertising in the Boston area and directed customers to several Boston area brothels, while another website advertised in eastern Virginia and directed customers to two known brothels there, the criminal complaint states.

In his complaint, Special Agent Mitlitsky said he believes Han Lee and Junmyung Lee shared the day-to-day operations of the Massachusetts brothels, while Han Lee solely maintained the day-to-day operations of the Virginia ones.

In federal court Monday in Worcester, assistant federal public defender Scott Lauer represented Han Lee, who needed the aid of a Korean interpreter. Attorney John A. Amabile represented Junmyung Lee.

The case was heard in Worcester because that's where the presiding judge is sitting.

It is alleged that the defendants collectively established the infrastructure for brothels in multiple states that they used to persuade, induce and entice women – primarily Asian women – to travel to Massachusetts and Virginia to engage in prostitution, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Specifically, the defendants allegedly rented high-end apartment complexes as brothel locations, which they furnished and regularly maintained. The monthly rent for the brothel locations was as high as $3,664, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

It is further alleged that the defendants coordinated the women’s airline travel and transportation, and permitted women 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, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

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 upward of $600 per hour depending on the services and were paid in cash.

The defendants allegedly concealed the proceeds of the prostitution network through depositing hundreds of thousands of dollars of cash into their personal 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 to conceal the source of the funds, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

These money orders were then used to pay for rent and utilities at brothel locations in Massachusetts and Virginia, according to the U.S, Attorney’s Office.

Over the course of the investigation, a wide array of "buyers" were identified including, but not limited to, politicians, high tech and pharmaceutical executives, doctors, military officers, government contractors that possess security clearances, professors, lawyers, scientists and accountants, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

So far, no charges against the "buyers" have been announced.

Monday, Han Lee and Junmyung Lee wore orange and dark green prison jumpsuits, respectively, in court. They came into the courtroom wearing handcuffs, which were taken off, during the hearing. The cuffs were put back on at the end of the session.

Both defendants waived their rights to a preliminary hearing.

A detention hearing is slated at 2 p.m. Nov. 22.

Judge David H. Hennessy presided over the case, while Assistant U.S. District Attorney Lindsey Weinstein represented the prosecution.

Outside of the courthouse, Amabile spoke favorably of his client.

“I like him,” Amabile said of Junmyung Lee. “He gets my endorsement.”

The third suspect in the case was identified as James Lee, 69, of Torrance, California.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Han Lee and Junmyung Lee brothel case defendants in federal court