Authorities arrested six people and are searching for a seventh in connection to a prostitution ring operating out of Asian massage parlors across Florida. They will be charged with racketeering, conspiracy to commit racketeering, money laundering and deriving proceeds from the support of prostitution, according to Shane Pollard, a special agent in charge of the Fort Myers division of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
The investigation originated in Sarasota County where three of the massage parlors are located. In total, 13 were shut down β seven in Naples, three in Sarasota and on each in Cape Coral, Bradenton and Tallahassee. Storrar said the agencies have been working the case for about three years now. He called it a "long-term, complex, conspiratorial type case. The women offered sex acts in exchange for extra money after completing the massage, Pollard said.
Ten women were arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit RICO violations, a first-degree felony. When asked if the women were U. Pollard said authorities are working with organizations that focus on human trafficking to determine if the women are victims. He is married to Xuan Lang, who is related to the rest of the main players, Pollard said. Pollard said it was important to dismantle this organization to determine whether human trafficking was a part of it, he said.
