A Texas massage parlor magnate and her alleged accomplice are facing federal charges for running a multi-state sex trafficking operation. The accused, 64-year-old Shaoping Wen and Xu Wang, 41, were slapped with conspiracy to use interstate travel in aid of racketeering enterprises. Arrested last week in New Mexico, the duo appeared in court Wednesday and is now en route to Lubbock, Texas, to answer the charges, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
The duo, nabbed on March 21, were revealed by federal authorities to have been engaging in sleazy business practices, with Wen owning at least seven seedy parlors, and Wang, who masqueraded as her son, running the joints whenever she was away. Sting operations conducted between June 2023 and February 2024 involved undercover officers paying for $60 massages, only to be enticed by lingerie-wearing women into paying an extra $140 to $200 for illegal sexual services.
Tragic echoes of exploitation were present, as arrested women, identifying as Chinese nationals and "laborers," would have Wen or Wang bail them out. Authorities observed the women being shuttled from the airport straight to the parlors, notes from concerned neighbors about their nonexistent social lives, and living situations that included makeshift beds on massage parlor floors. Witness statements also detailed instances, including a passerby hearing screams and stumbling upon a distressing scene at one of the parlors.
Advertisements for Wen’s dubious establishments were plastered on websites known for commercial sex services. The ads, promoting "100% sexy" girls and experiences ranging from the "girlfriend" to "porn star" types, hinted at the illegal nature of the services under the guise of massage therapy. The investigation spanned multiple agencies, such as the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Callie Woolam is handling the prosecution.
While a criminal complaint itself isn't a conviction, should the court find Wen and Wang guilty, they could be looking at up to five years in a federal big house. For now, the presumption of innocence hangs in the air as the judicial process unfolds.
