Robert Kraft (yes, THAT Robert Kraft) charged with soliciting prostitution (1 Viewer)

[Henry Ford]

Dude, you literally have fallen into the Asian names look alike trap.  There is no evidence of trafficking AT ORCHID in ANYTHING you linked.

Remember that time you were going to put me on ignore?  Man, those were the days.

 

[(HULK)]

>>“If this is what we think and the tentacles reach organized crime outside this country, how is this attorney showing up who has no real connection to her? Is he trying to quiet her up?”

The federal Department of Homeland Security is investigating the web of organized crime and prostitution that stretches from China through Flushing and Florida, Dougherty said, including whether massage workers were in the US illegally.

He said Zhu’s Florida rub-and-tug joints moved “incredible amounts of money” through China.<<

- Folks, this is organized crime.

Where is Zhu tied to Orchid?  I still haven't seen that.

 

[(HULK)]

Keep reading.

I did.  I think you mixed up who worked where.  Orchid still isn't tied to the trafficking.

 

[(HULK)]

You're literally quoting me posting an article that says she was.

No, it doesn't.  You're seeing what you want to see.

"The women, both 48, identified as managing the spas – four in Martin County and one in Jupiter – are Ruimei Li, of Jupiter, and Lixia Zhu, of Stuart."

There were 10 spas total.  Orchid, while being in Jupiter, was owned by Hua Zhang and managed by Lei Wang.  Whatever spa Li and Zhu are tied to in Jupiter ISN'T ORCHID.

 

[(HULK)]

Remember that time you were going to put me on ignore?  Man, those were the days.

I'm trying to help you guy.

You've connected Zhu to Orchid, meanwhile all of the investigators and reporters have been unable to do so.

 

[Tom Servo]

No, it doesn't.  You're seeing what you want to see.

"The women, both 48, identified as managing the spas – four in Martin County and one in Jupiter – are Ruimei Li, of Jupiter, and Lixia Zhu, of Stuart."

There were 10 spas total.  Orchid, while being in Jupiter, was owned by Hua Zhang and managed by Lei Wang.  Whatever spa Li and Zhu are tied to in Jupiter ISN'T ORCHID.

And who said @Hipple, Long, Ware, & Peete doesn't post here anymore?

 

[(HULK)]

I'm seeing Zhu charged in connection with Therapy Spa in Stuart.  No connected to Orchid in anything I can find.

 

[jvdesigns2002]

But the issue isn't "what percentage of massage parlors are involved in human trafficking" it's "what's the likelihood that prostitution services obtained at an illicit massage parlor are related to human trafficking."  

Yes--the number that you are mentioning would also be a great piece of the puzzle--no argument there.  However--by saying that there are 9000 massage salons that are involved with trafficking without mentioning other pertinent information like the total number of salons out there--the only point that you are making is that trafficking is an issue that law enforcement needs to allocate a lot of resources towards.  Regardless of what anything thinks of how Kraft should be viewed--I think EVERYBODY is clearly in agreement that trafficking is a problem.  

A stat like that has zero bearing on whether or not Kraft had any knowledge about trafficking about the very salon that he was patroning.   I appreciate your passion towards this subject---as I fully agree that trafficking is a major issue--but it seems to me that you are connecting stats/bulletpoints about trafficking in general and are stretching to find ways to connect them to Kraft.   Until it is proven that he was fully aware of trafficking at salons--he's only guilty of soliciting prostitution no matter what stats you want to throw out there.  At least that's just my two cents.   I know I've said this before--but even though we might disagree on what Kraft should be labelled at this point in time--I do appreciate the discussion.   

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

Where is Zhu tied to Orchid?  I still haven't seen that.

It's a ring of spas they busted. Zhu was busted at Therapy Spa but she is wanted for racketeering and money laundering associated with the whole ring.

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

I'm seeing Zhu charged in connection with Therapy Spa in Stuart.  No connected to Orchid in anything I can find.

She was just arrested "at" Therapy. The spas together are considered a racket. The Feds are not involved because they think one spa is just a happy go lucky local rub n tug joint while the others are involved in international and across state lines in a racket. Therapy isn't a standalone entity here.

 

[(HULK)]

It's a ring of spas they busted. Zhu was busted at Therapy Spa but she is wanted for racketeering and money laundering associated with the whole ring.

Literally the only connection between the spas is that they were both targeted by law enforcement at the same time.

There has been nothing (except poor assumptions here) that tie Orchid into a ring with these other Spas.  The owner of Orchid does own a second spa, but it is in another part of Florida and not part of this investigation.

I'm not saying that there wasn't trafficking at Orchid, it's possible.  But we still have no facts to indicate that it was.  It was not in a ring with these other spas busted, it has no ties to trafficking that we are currently aware of.

You guys want to say Zhu was a trafficker and tied to Orchid?  Okay.  Show me where.  Show me anything that says that.

You guys want to say Orchid was part of a ring?  Okay.  Show me where.  Show me anything that says that.

Thus far, neither has been shown by anything linked here.

This gets back to my who issue with conflating things.

 

[(HULK)]

She was just arrested "at" Therapy. The spas together are considered a racket. The Feds are not involved because they think one spa is just a happy go lucky local rub n tug joint while the others are involved in international and across state lines in a racket. Therapy isn't a standalone entity here.

How do you know the bolded?  Because it hasn't been said anywhere that I've seen by any authority.

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

How do you know the bolded?  Because it hasn't been said anywhere that I've seen by any authority.

It's described in the charges describing Zhu as a principle:

Li and Zhu were charged with similar crimes and several counts of racketeering and money laundering.

Lixia Zhu — who was hit with racketeering and money-laundering counts

That's what a racket is.

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

Literally the only connection between the spas is that they were both targeted by law enforcement at the same time.

There has been nothing (except poor assumptions here) that tie Orchid into a ring with these other Spas.  The owner of Orchid does own a second spa, but it is in another part of Florida and not part of this investigation.

I'm not saying that there wasn't trafficking at Orchid, it's possible.  But we still have no facts to indicate that it was.  It was not in a ring with these other spas busted, it has no ties to trafficking that we are currently aware of.

You guys want to say Zhu was a trafficker and tied to Orchid?  Okay.  Show me where.  Show me anything that says that.

You guys want to say Orchid was part of a ring?  Okay.  Show me where.  Show me anything that says that.

Thus far, neither has been shown by anything linked here.

This gets back to my who issue with conflating things.

This is not conflation. It was a multi-agency raid of 10 spas. The spas themselves together are considered a racket. The two women who ran it were charged together, they were just arrested at two different places. That's how racketeering charges work.

I'd agree it would be good to see the indictment first hand but it doesn't seem to be available on the interwebs.

 

[(HULK)]

It's described in the charges describing Zhu as a principle:

That's what a racket is.

None of these links show that Zhu had anything to do with Orchids of Asia.

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

None of these links show that Zhu had anything to do with Orchids of Asia.

Who do you think she was in a racket with? Some other racket in some other raid?

 

[(HULK)]

This is not conflation. It was a multi-agency raid of 10 spas. The spas themselves together are considered a racket. The two women who ran it were charged together, they were just arrested at two different places. That's how racketeering charges work.

I'd agree it would be good to see the indictment first hand but it doesn't seem to be available on the interwebs.

It was a multi-agency raid of 10 spas.

There is no indication that the 10 spas are all part of the same racket.  Nowhere has that been printed.

Orchids of Asia affidavit clearly says that the got tipped by the investigation in other counties and looked into Orchids because of websites indicating it was a prostitution front.  Then they sent in a health inspector that saw indications of workers living there.  Then they went full blown investigation.  But nothing is tying Orchids of Asia to any of the other spas.

 

[(HULK)]

Who do you think she was in a racket with? Some other racket in some other raid?

She was involved with 5 spas according to 1 report.  I haven't been able to find a list of which 5.

10 spas total.

They're not all tied together.

 

[Nathan R. Jessep]

https://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/crime/indian-river-county/2019/02/26/who-only-person-actually-charged-human-trafficking-florida-spa-investigation/2983335002/

Huddy said no solid ties have emerged between the 10 spas from Orlando to Jupiter shut down Feb. 19, aside from the ones owned by Yan and Ma. He does believe the local ringleaders at least know of each other and may coordinate in exchanging women, something done to confuse authorities.

So granted, it's plausible, but no ties have been made as of yet...

https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/74/98/64c708b942ac9a24ed0e40f57db0/hua-pc.pdf

From the affidavit:

Hua Zhang, the president of the corporation of the business  known as  Orchids of Asia Day Spa

The article HF linked to mentions Orchids, but IMO, the verbiage used is a tad misleading in that article. I could see where one would infer that Zhu was involved with Orchids. I hadn't made that inference because I had read a different article previously, but then HF posted that one and I was like...well.... maybe my article was incomplete, and I wasn't sure which to believe until I did some more research. 

They did mention her (on the next to last page of the affidavit above) going to other spas that were in the "illicit massage parlor" ring in Martin County, but either she or Lei Wang were owner of those, best I can tell. 

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

It was a multi-agency raid of 10 spas.

There is no indication that the 10 spas are all part of the same racket.  Nowhere has that been printed.

Orchids of Asia affidavit clearly says that the got tipped by the investigation in other counties and looked into Orchids because of websites indicating it was a prostitution front.  Then they sent in a health inspector that saw indications of workers living there.  Then they went full blown investigation.  But nothing is tying Orchids of Asia to any of the other spas.

Except the raid of the 10 spas altogether at once, right?

Sorry which affidavit are you looking at? I've only seen the one for Kraft.

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

She was involved with 5 spas according to 1 report.  I haven't been able to find a list of which 5.

10 spas total.

They're not all tied together.

Zhu has been charged with racketeering and money laundering, right? You agree with that?

 

[(HULK)]

I just checked the charging affidavit again from Orchids.  Only Hua Zhang and Lei Wang on it.

There are no charges connecting Zhu to it.

 

[(HULK)]

https://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/crime/indian-river-county/2019/02/26/who-only-person-actually-charged-human-trafficking-florida-spa-investigation/2983335002/

So granted, it's plausible, but no ties have been made as of yet...

https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/74/98/64c708b942ac9a24ed0e40f57db0/hua-pc.pdf

From the affidavit:

The article HF linked to mentions Orchids, but IMO, the verbiage used is a tad misleading in that article. I could see where one would infer that Zhu was involved with Orchids. I hadn't made that inference because I had read a different article previously, but then HF posted that one and I was like...well.... maybe my article was incomplete, and I wasn't sure which to believe until I did some more research. 

They did mention her (on the next to last page of the affidavit above) going to other spas that were in the "illicit massage parlor" ring in Martin County, but either she or Lei Wang were owner of those, best I can tell. 

Conflate Gate.

 

[(HULK)]

Except the raid of the 10 spas altogether at once, right?

Sorry which affidavit are you looking at? I've only seen the one for Kraft.

The charges against the 2 ladies who own and operated the spa Kraft went to.

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

I just checked the charging affidavit again from Orchids.  Only Hua Zhang and Lei Wang on it.

There are no charges connecting Zhu to it.

Please post it maybe? Thanks.

 

[Nathan R. Jessep]

Please post it maybe? Thanks.

I just re-posted it in my post... look 6 up from yours. 

 

[(HULK)]

Zhu has been charged with racketeering and money laundering, right? You agree with that?

Absolutely.

And she *may* be tied in with Orchids of Asia and the Kraft saga, but nothing indicates that currently.  So maybe we should stop saying it.

Like I said earlier, what is going down in Florida is a tale of 2 very different stories.  One where it looks like a celebrity got caught participating in prostitution and one where part of a sex ring was busted.  Both resulted from the same investigation.  The DA who caught the celebrity keeps saying sex trafficking without actually charging anyone for it or having any evidence indicating it happened.  He gets all of the headlines while the actual cops who did good work catching a trafficker at a different spa aren't getting recognized whatsoever, in fact, their stuff is getting conflated in with the Kraft story.

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/74/98/64c708b942ac9a24ed0e40f57db0/hua-pc.pdf

From the affidavit:

Hua Zhang, the president of the corporation of the business  known as  Orchids of Asia Day Spa

The article HF linked to mentions Orchids, but IMO, the verbiage used is a tad misleading in that article. I could see where one would infer that Zhu was involved with Orchids. I hadn't made that inference because I had read a different article previously, but then HF posted that one and I was like...well.... maybe my article was incomplete, and I wasn't sure which to believe until I did some more research. 

They did mention her (on the next to last page of the affidavit above) going to other spas that were in the "illicit massage parlor" ring in Martin County, but either she or Lei Wang were owner of those, best I can tell. 

Thanks, I hate to be greedy, but is there one for Zhu?

https://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/crime/indian-river-county/2019/02/26/who-only-person-actually-charged-human-trafficking-florida-spa-investigation/2983335002/

Huddy said no solid ties have emerged between the 10 spas from Orlando to Jupiter shut down Feb. 19, aside from the ones owned by Yan and Ma. He does believe the local ringleaders at least know of each other and may coordinate in exchanging women, something done to confuse authorities.

So granted, it's plausible, but no ties have been made as of yet...

Ma was arrested Feb. 19 and also stands charged with racketeering, deriving support from the proceeds of prostitution. Her bail was set at $155,500.

Huddy said they also have their sights set on Ma's husband, Yongzhang Yan.

...The couple owned several spas in Vero Beach, Sebastian and the Orlando area. Each spa generated tens of thousands of dollars per month, according to police, meaning annual revenues could have reached into the millions.

Human trafficking and racketeering — often referred to by law enforcement as "RICO," short for Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization — are the most serious charges levied so far. 

They are first-degree felonies, punishable by up to 30 years in prison. If any of the victims are found to be minors or if they are seriously physically harmed, the punishments can escalate to life sentences.

What am I missing here? Zhu the owner of Therapy has been indicted. Ma the owner of several spas, has been indicted. The owner of Orchid has been indicted.

All have been indicted for racketeering.

Zhu and Ma have been charged with racketeering. Zhang (owner of Orchids) has not. [edited in]

Is it not the same racket? That wouldn't make any sense.

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

Absolutely.

And she *may* be tied in with Orchids of Asia and the Kraft saga, but nothing indicates that currently.  So maybe we should stop saying it.

Like I said earlier, what is going down in Florida is a tale of 2 very different stories.  One where it looks like a celebrity got caught participating in prostitution and one where part of a sex ring was busted.  Both resulted from the same investigation.  The DA who caught the celebrity keeps saying sex trafficking without actually charging anyone for it or having any evidence indicating it happened.  He gets all of the headlines while the actual cops who did good work catching a trafficker at a different spa aren't getting recognized whatsoever, in fact, their stuff is getting conflated in with the Kraft story.

I'll move on to just saying that we should all look at the indictment. It really sounds to me like Orchid is part of the same racket that they have all been charged in. That seems clear as day, but again the reporting is scant and we don't have the actual indictment.

 

[(HULK)]

Thanks, I hate to be greedy, but is there one for Zhu?

What am I missing here? Zhu the owner of Therapy has been indicted. Ma the owner of several spas, has been indicted. The owner of Orchid has been indicted.

All have been indicted for racketeering. Is it not the same racket? That wouldn't make any sense.

The owner of Orchid isn't facing racketeering charges that I saw. 

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

The owner of Orchid isn't facing racketeering charges that I saw. 

Ok I see you're point. You're correct, and I'll fix my post above. I need to own that. - But even though Zhang (Orchids' owner) was not a principle, Orchids is still part of the racket nonetheless though, right?

- My view of things is that they were busting the ring, aka the racket. That's a syndicate. And I have a hard time seeing DHS and state and county agencies busting the ring as one, prosecuting it as one, but somehow this one site over here was not actually a part of that. And I have a hard time seeing the racket itself operating that way, though yeah I guess it's possible they had one or more sites doing *this and this one site or other sites doing *that. I guess it's possible, but it doesn't seem likely. It still sounds like one racket or criminal enterprise they were busting. But I am happy to admit I'm wrong if Orchids appears nowhere in the racketeering indictment(s).

 

[Leroy Hoard]

In a vacuum, I have no issues with exchanging sexual acts for money.  The problem is the society we're in and how it works.  I've said before (in this thread, multiple times) I'm for legalizing and heavily regulating the sex trade in this country.  Give workers rights and protections.

As it is right now, sex work in this country is highly abusive and exploitative.  

This is the solution right here. Maybe not a 100% solution, but one that could work moving forward. Better than the system we have now.

 

[The Z Machine]

And who said @Hipple, Long, Ware, & Peete doesn't post here anymore?

Where's this guy been?

 

[Henry Ford]

https://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/crime/indian-river-county/2019/02/26/who-only-person-actually-charged-human-trafficking-florida-spa-investigation/2983335002/

So granted, it's plausible, but no ties have been made as of yet...

https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/74/98/64c708b942ac9a24ed0e40f57db0/hua-pc.pdf

From the affidavit:

The article HF linked to mentions Orchids, but IMO, the verbiage used is a tad misleading in that article. I could see where one would infer that Zhu was involved with Orchids. I hadn't made that inference because I had read a different article previously, but then HF posted that one and I was like...well.... maybe my article was incomplete, and I wasn't sure which to believe until I did some more research. 

They did mention her (on the next to last page of the affidavit above) going to other spas that were in the "illicit massage parlor" ring in Martin County, but either she or Lei Wang were owner of those, best I can tell. 

There are five spas involved with Zhu - four in Martin County and one in Palm Beach County, according to the article I posted.  

These are the five spas:

Cove Day Spa and Therapy Spa in Stuart, Bridge Day Spa and Sequoia Apple Day Spa in Hobe Sound, and Orchids of Asia Day Spa in Jupiter.

Orchids is owned by Zhang 

Sequoia Apple is owned by Lei Wang  

The other three are owned by Ruimei Lei

 

[Sconch]

In a vacuum, I have no issues with exchanging sexual acts for money. 

You take PayPal?

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

Kenneth Zullo, 64, of Sebastian, was charged with racketeering.

Anybody know this guy's role?

 

[Sconch]

Where's this guy been?

Still reading posts from 2017?

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

Police say 65-year-old Kenneth Zullo was visiting East Spa almost daily.

Police began keeping a close eye on Zullo in December after they witnessed Lanyun Ma, the spa’s manager who’s also been arrested, meet Zullo with money, and a bag at AA Massage in Sebastian.

Police say Zullo left with whatever was in the bag.

According to the arrest report, police placed a tracking device on Zullo’s vehicle.

Throughout their investigation Zullo was seen driving the women, who police say were engaging in sex acts for money, to and from East spa.

According to police, Zullo once took one of the employees for drinks and to his home, and on another occasion drove one of the employees to the airport.

Police say Zullo also brought gifts and other items to the spa on multiple occasions and appeared to do repairs at both East and AA Spa.

Zullo has been charged with racketeering.

I guess it just seems odd that a guy named Zullo winds up involved in an ethnically Chinese trafficking ring.

 

[Henry Ford]

Anybody know this guy's role?

He was in the Vero Beach busts.  East Spa. 

 

[Nathan R. Jessep]

There are five spas involved with Zhu - four in Martin County and one in Palm Beach County, according to the article I posted.  

These are the five spas:

Cove Day Spa and Therapy Spa in Stuart, Bridge Day Spa and Sequoia Apple Day Spa in Hobe Sound, and Orchids of Asia Day Spa in Jupiter.

Orchids is owned by Zhang 

Sequoia Apple is owned by Lei Wang  

The other three are owned by Ruimei Lei

Where are you seeing that information, that those are the 5 tied to Zhu? It's not in the article you linked, if I am looking at the correct one.( https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/2019/02/26/florida-human-sex-trafficking-ring-full-story/2990465002/) It also doesn't name the other spas, that I could find. 

 

[Henry Ford]

I guess it just seems odd that a guy named Zullo winds up involved in an ethnically Chinese trafficking ring.

Don’t make it weird just because he owns a construction business and has lived in both Stuart, FL (where some of the Martin County women live and work) and Massapequa, Ny and was charged with racketeering. 

 

[Henry Ford]

Where are you seeing that information, that those are the 5 tied to Zhu? It's not in the article you linked, if I am looking at the correct one.( https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/2019/02/26/florida-human-sex-trafficking-ring-full-story/2990465002/) It also doesn't name the other spas, that I could find. 

 The women, both 48, identified as managing the spas – four in Martin County and one in Jupiter – are Ruimei Li, of Jupiter, and Lixia Zhu, of Stuart.

The actual names of the five included in the operation are in a number of articles  

https://www.nbc-2.com/story/39993598/2-florida-women-accused-of-running-sex-trafficking-rings-out-of-day-spas

 Five day spas were targeted as a part of the investigation: Cove Day Spa and Therapy Spa in Stuart, Bridge Day Spa and Sequoia Apple Day Spa in Hobe Sound, and Orchids of Asia Day Spa in Jupiter.

https://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/crime/martin-county/2019/02/22/human-trafficking-florida-sex-spas-tens-millions-dollars/2952861002/

Asked about possible links between the spas in Martin County and others in Indian River County that officials disclosed Thursday, Dougherty made an analogy to ownership of Toyota dealerships.

“As it goes up the line, they’re all owned by Toyota,” he said. “They’re sort of like franchises.”

Federal agencies, he said, are working to “follow this pyramid, this organization to try and connect them and move to the top.”

“We can show an organization here with definitely five spas in this area that’s run by one person with another assistant,” he said.

 

[Henry Ford]

You take PayPal?

I don’t care what you call it, but nothing over five inches. 

 

[Henry Ford]

Yes--the number that you are mentioning would also be a great piece of the puzzle--no argument there.  However--by saying that there are 9000 massage salons that are involved with trafficking without mentioning other pertinent information like the total number of salons out there--the only point that you are making is that trafficking is an issue that law enforcement needs to allocate a lot of resources towards.  Regardless of what anything thinks of how Kraft should be viewed--I think EVERYBODY is clearly in agreement that trafficking is a problem.  

A stat like that has zero bearing on whether or not Kraft had any knowledge about trafficking about the very salon that he was patroning.   I appreciate your passion towards this subject---as I fully agree that trafficking is a major issue--but it seems to me that you are connecting stats/bulletpoints about trafficking in general and are stretching to find ways to connect them to Kraft.   Until it is proven that he was fully aware of trafficking at salons--he's only guilty of soliciting prostitution no matter what stats you want to throw out there.  At least that's just my two cents.   I know I've said this before--but even though we might disagree on what Kraft should be labelled at this point in time--I do appreciate the discussion.   

Kraft should be labeled a John and whether or not he knew he should have known of the high likelihood that sex trafficking was involved in what he was doing. 

I certainly grant you that there is such unbelievable resistance to educating people on that fact that it makes it easy to ignore that likelihood. 

 

[Nathan R. Jessep]

The actual names of the five included in the operation are in a number of articles  

https://www.nbc-2.com/story/39993598/2-florida-women-accused-of-running-sex-trafficking-rings-out-of-day-spas

https://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/crime/martin-county/2019/02/22/human-trafficking-florida-sex-spas-tens-millions-dollars/2952861002/

Thanks. I guess, to me, it's odd that they have pinned these 2 as "identified as managing the spas" yet that doesn't get mentioned in any of the other articles about Orchids, as the other articles only mention Zhang as the owner and her assistant. Maybe they're holding their cards a bit there, I don't know. Also, as of yet, no racketeering charge for Zhang, but I don't know how racketeering charges get doled out. 

 

[Henry Ford]

Thanks. I guess, to me, it's odd that they have pinned these 2 as "identified as managing the spas" yet that doesn't get mentioned in any of the other articles about Orchids, as the other articles only mention Zhang as the owner and her assistant. Maybe they're holding their cards a bit there, I don't know. Also, as of yet, no racketeering charge for Zhang, but I don't know how racketeering charges get doled out. 

Part of it is the investigation appears to be showing that Wang isn’t Zhang’s “assistant.”  At least not fully.  She’s one of the business’s owners. 

It’s the same way the Ruimei Li businesses work - just found this:

https://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/crime/martin-county/2019/02/21/sex-spa-proceeds-fund-martin-county-property-florida-records-state/2940691002/

Investigators learned while investigating Li she transferred rights to another business — Therapy Spa — in August 2018 to Zhu. Zhu changed the name to Florida Therapy Spa “and proceeded to operate it in the same exact manner in which Ruimei Li operated Bridge Day Spa as a house of prostitution under the guise of a massage parlor,” records show.

If you’re not really the owner, just a name they’re using to legitimize the businesses, you can work/own/whatever at all of them.  

 

[(HULK)]

The actual names of the five included in the operation are in a number of articles  

https://www.nbc-2.com/story/39993598/2-florida-women-accused-of-running-sex-trafficking-rings-out-of-day-spas

https://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/crime/martin-county/2019/02/22/human-trafficking-florida-sex-spas-tens-millions-dollars/2952861002/

Weren't there 10 spas total in the sting operation?

I'm still not seeing Zhu directly tied to Orchids in anything, but I'm still a few posts shy of caught up.

 

[(HULK)]

Thanks. I guess, to me, it's odd that they have pinned these 2 as "identified as managing the spas" yet that doesn't get mentioned in any of the other articles about Orchids, as the other articles only mention Zhang as the owner and her assistant. Maybe they're holding their cards a bit there, I don't know. Also, as of yet, no racketeering charge for Zhang, but I don't know how racketeering charges get doled out. 

I'm still not seeing it.

Zhu and other lady charged.

different paragraph

5 spas in Marin County were part of the investigation.

They investigated 5 spas in Marin County, I agree.

Zhu and other lady got charged with trafficking related charges, I agree.

Zhu tied to Orchids of Asia, I still do not see that.

I feel like I'm being a stickler, but this whole thing is conflategate.  Heck, I've seen 3 different ages listed for Wang, and that affidavit was published like 10 days ago now and it contains her birth date.  Should be easy to get facts straight.

 

[(HULK)]

Part of it is the investigation appears to be showing that Wang isn’t Zhang’s “assistant.”  At least not fully.  She’s one of the business’s owners. 

It’s the same way the Ruimei Li businesses work - just found this:

https://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/crime/martin-county/2019/02/21/sex-spa-proceeds-fund-martin-county-property-florida-records-state/2940691002/

If you’re not really the owner, just a name they’re using to legitimize the businesses, you can work/own/whatever at all of them.  

Right, but isn't that also something a prostitution front that didn't partake in sex trafficking might do?

 

[Nathan R. Jessep]

I'm still not seeing it.

Zhu and other lady charged.

different paragraph

5 spas in Marin County were part of the investigation.

They investigated 5 spas in Marin County, I agree.

Zhu and other lady got charged with trafficking related charges, I agree.

Zhu tied to Orchids of Asia, I still do not see that.

I feel like I'm being a stickler, but this whole thing is conflategate.  Heck, I've seen 3 different ages listed for Wang, and that affidavit was published like 10 days ago now and it contains her birth date.  Should be easy to get facts straight.

as close as it comes to naming her:

https://www.nbc-2.com/story/39993598/2-florida-women-accused-of-running-sex-trafficking-rings-out-of-day-spas

In a news conference Tuesday, Martin County Sheriff William Snyder announced the results of an 8-month, multi-agency investigation resulting in the arrests of Ruimei Li, 49, of Jupiter and Lixia Zhu, 49, Stuart.

"This is a complex case that has been going on for months,” said Sheriff William Snyder. “We have dozens and dozens of arrests yet to come.”

Five day spas were targeted as a part of the investigation: Cove Day Spa and Therapy Spa in Stuart, Bridge Day Spa and Sequoia Apple Day Spa in Hobe Sound, and Orchids of Asia Day Spa in Jupiter.

So it seems as if they are implying, even if not explicitly stating, that Zhu and Li were running those 5 named spas. And yes, you're also right that there were 10 in the ring, or at least 10 that they specified.