Korean Americans are accused of operating high-end brothels in Boston and Washington, D.C., catering to clients such as doctors, business owners, military personnel, lawyers, and others. Investigations reveal these operations to be highly organized and sophisticated in managing their clientele.
In particular, the investigation report submitted by Special Homeland Security Investigators from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Investigations Bureau included evidence such as client ledgers written in Korean and photos of a large bundle of cash.
According to federal prosecutors, Han Lee, 41, and Junmyung Lee, 30, who were charged with operating brothels, agreed to voluntary surrender at a detention hearing in federal court in Worcester, Massachusetts, on November 22.
As a result, they will remain in custody pending trial.
In court, DHS investigative documents were released that demonstrated the methods used by Han Lee and Junmyung Lee.
DHS Investigator Zachary A. Mitlitsky wrote in the investigative report, which argued for their detention, “The ledgers located in Junmyung’s apartment were appointment books documenting the daily scheduling of women at the various brothel locations in both Boston and Virginia.”
According to DHS, Han Lee was in charge of the women, while Junmyung Lee was in charge of the male clients.
Notably, the DHS investigation also uncovered a ledger in one of the Lee’s apartments that listed the sex workers’ schedules by day of the week. The ledger, written in handwritten Korean, detailed the names of the prostitutes, the days of the week, the hours of the day, the clients they served, and the amount of money they were paid for sex. Envelopes containing cash also had the names of the sex workers, dates, and amounts written on the outside. Bundles of $100 cash and gift certificates were also seized.
Investigators also recovered $5,000 in cash from Junmyung’s apartment, as well as four ledgers with sex booking lists, a computer, and six cell phones.
Junmyung’s books listed appointments by day of the week between clients and sex workers contacted through the website. The books, which appear to have been written by Lee, were dated diary notes, listing the names of four sex workers for each day of the week and time slot. They contained appointment schedules for November 8, the day the investigation was conducted.
The investigators’ report also included photos of captured KakaoTalk conversations in which Han and Junmyung detailed to customers how to buy sex and how much it would cost ($350 to $600 per hour). In the English instructions, the two made clear the difference between regular and new customers and emphasized that new customers would have to pay before having sex.
The investigation also found that Lee collected more than $1 million in cash for the sex and sent it to various places to conceal it, including money orders, Wirebarley, Bank of America, and Korea Kookmin Bank.
Since June of last year, Junmyung had rented an apartment and worked with Han for a monthly salary of $6,000 to $8,000. Junmyung also bought a sports car, a Chevrolet Corvette, with the proceeds from the sex trade.
According to the investigation, beginning in July 2020, Han Lee lived in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and facilitated illegal brothels in rented apartments in the upscale Massachusetts neighborhoods of Cambridge, Watertown, Dedham, Fairfax, Virginia, and Tysons. Lee was directly involved in leasing nine apartments for the brothels, as well as procuring the necessary supplies for the women.
Another co-conspirator, James Lee, 68, was arrested in Torrance, where he lived, and is currently in custody. James will be transferred to Boston to stand trial.
BY HYOUNGJAE KIM, JUNHAN PARK [kim.ian@koreadaily.com]
