Three people at the center of a commercial sex ring that catered to "wealthy and well-connected clientele," near Boston, Massachusetts and Eastern Virginia are seeking plea agreements, federal authorities revealed.
In a press release, the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Massachusetts, said that Han "Hana" Lee, 41, of Cambridge, Massachusetts; James Lee, 68, of Torrance, California, and Junmyung Lee, 30, of Dedham, Massachusetts are all accused of running a "sophisticated" commercial sex network.
Authorities revealed that the trio conducted their sordid business in Watertown and Cambridge, Massachusetts and in Virginia.
Their high-dollar sex businesses had buyers paying up to $600 per hour for a wide range of sexual acts.
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The brothel network advertised to clients through the websites bostontopten10.com and browneyesgirlsva.blog.
According to court documents, the websites claimed to advertise nude models for professional photography but actually offered appointments with commercial sex workers.
"Men paid for sex with women advertised on the Boston Top Ten website at multiple high-end apartments … in Cambridge and Watertown, at least four of which were active until November 8, 2023," a copy of the indictment reads.
The indictment noted that Han "maintained and updated" the website with photos of the sex workers.
"The websites, which served as free advertisements for the commercial sex workers traveling to Massachusetts and Virginia to engage in commercial sex, were generally maintained and updated by HAN who had access to the photographs of the women," the indictment said.
The trio also maintained a "menu" that buyers could pick and choose the sexual companions that they were interested in.
According to court documents, each website described a verification process that interested sex buyers undertook to be eligible for appointment bookings– including requiring clients to complete a form providing their full names, email address, phone number, employer and reference if they had one.
The thorough process allegedly helped persuade high-end clients – 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.
The group also allegedly concealed the proceeds of their prostitution network through depositing hundreds of thousands of dollars of cash proceeds into their personal bank accounts and peer-to-peer transfers, the attorney's office said.
All three were indicted by a federal grand jury on 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.
All three defendants were arraigned in person on Feb. 6.
Since then, the attorney's "produced discovery on March 5 and May 30, 2024,″ from electronic devices.
"The parties have engaged in plea discussions," U.S. Magistrate Judge David Hennessy wrote in a report filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Boston.
