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Inside Northeast Sex Trafficking Empire: Cash, Luxury Apartment, Fake Spa, Fugitive On The Run
They built a criminal empire out of fake spas, cash, and exploited women. One vanished before trial. The other just got sentenced to decades in prison.
The Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office issued an update on Monday, Aug. 25, confirming the fate of Zigui “Lisa” Zheng—and the disappearance of her co-defendant, Yan Qiu, after both were convicted of running a sex trafficking ring across Pennsylvania, New York, and Virginia.
Spa Boss Sentenced After Shocking Trial
Zheng, 48, was sentenced to 10.5 to 21 years in state prison on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, after a jury found her guilty of…
Sex Slave Sting: Women Held In NJ Homes, Forced Into Brothels, AG Says
Eight people have been charged with racketeering and human trafficking for running a prostitution ring out of several homes in Trenton and Camden, authorities said.
New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced the charges on Tuesday, July 1, following a months-long investigation that began in May 2024. At least 15 victims were located during raids at five properties, investigators said.
According to the criminal complaints, Vilma Deleon Bracamonte, also known as “Janet,” 55, of Hamilton, and Maria Soledad Xec Chan, 42, of Trenton, were the alleged ringleaders. They face charges …
High-End Prostitution Network Serviced Mass's Elite, Elected Officials: Feds
Three people were arrested and charged with running a high-end prostitution network in Massachusetts and Virginia that catered to VIP customers and elected officials. It was so exclusive that potential "Johns" had to provide references to book appointments, federal authorities said.
Han Lee, age 41, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, James Lee, age 68, of Torrance, California, and Junmyung Lee, age 30, of Dedham, Massachusetts, were all charged with running the operation that serviced elected officials, high-tech and pharmaceutical executives, doctors, military officers, government…
Central Massachusetts Couple Accused Of Sex Trafficking Victim To Multiple States: Feds
A Worcester husband and wife potentially face life in prison after federal investigators said they forced a person into prostitution and trafficked them to multiple states for sex.
Kiersten Soto, 29, and Moises Soto, 30, were arrested on Friday, Dec. 16, after investigators said they "used force, fraud, and coercion to traffic a victim for commercial sex in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Rhode Island" from February through May 2022, the US Attorney for Massachusetts said.
Not much more is known about the allegations as the indictment is sealed.
The Sotos a…
CT Resident Sentenced For Recruiting, Transporting Teen Girl To Engage In Commercial Sex
A 24-year-old man has been sentenced after he admitted to bringing a 16-year-old girl to a Connecticut hotel to engage in commercial sex acts.
Joel Lindsay, who last resided in East Hartford, was sentenced on Thursday, Sept. 22, to more than 11 years in prison after pleading guilty to sex trafficking of a minor on Oct. 15, 2021, according to Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut.
Lindsay conspired with an associate, Joseph Pina, to recruit and transport a 16-year-old girl to engage in commercial sex acts in October of 2019, the US Attorney's Offi…
NY College Sex Cult Leader Found Guilty On All Charges
Larry Ray, the leader of a sex cult run out of his daughter's dorm room at a New York college located in Westchester County, will face life in prison after being found guilty by a jury of sexually exploiting and trafficking girls.
Ray, now 62 years old following multiple delays in his trial and prosecution, was found guilty of 15 counts that include racketeering, sex trafficking, conspiracy, forced labor, extortion, tax evasion, and other crimes in relation to his scheme at Sarah Lawrence College, located near the border of Yonkers and Bronxville.
Related story - DOJ Acciden…
CT Man Sentenced For Child Sex Trafficking
A 24-year-old man has been sentenced to years in federal prison for sex trafficking a teenage girl at Connecticut hotels, authorities announced.
Hartford County resident Joseph Pina, of East Hartford, was sentenced to 96 months (eight years) in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for a sex trafficking offense involving a 16-year-old girl.
US Attorney Leonard Boyle said that in October 2019, Pina and associate Joel Lindsay, a citizen of Jamaica, recruited and transported the teenage girl to engage in commercial sex acts.
Specifically, on Oct. 17, 2019, Pina, Lindsa…
CT Duo Admits To Child Sex Trafficking
Two Connecticut men have pleaded guilty in federal court to offenses related to the sex trafficking of a minor.
Joel Lindsay, age 23, and Joseph Pina, age 24, both of East Hartford, made the plea on Friday, Oct. 15 in Hartford, said Leonard C Boyle, Acting US Attorney for the District of Connecticut.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in October 2019, Lindsay and Pina recruited, enticed, and transported a minor victim to engage in commercial sex acts.
Specifically, in October 2019, Lindsay, Pina, and another individual picked up the minor victim and took her t…