Korean American Prostitution Ring Busted in Ohio; 8 Indicted in Massage Parlor Case

A prostitution ring led by Korean American women in their 50s to 70s has been busted in Trumbull County, Ohio, authorities announced.

A Trumbull County grand jury indicted eight individuals, including six Korean Americans, on charges related to running a human trafficking and prostitution operation disguised as massage parlors. The group is accused of operating illegal massage businesses in the Mahoning Valley region of northeastern Ohio, coercing Korean women into prostitution.

Ongoing Probe into Korean American Prostitution Ring

At a joint press conference on April 30, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Mahoning County Sheriff Jerry Greene said the defendants face a total of 83 felony charges.

According to the indictment, the suspects allegedly ran two massage parlors, Tiger Spa and Sunny Spa, engaging in prostitution, money laundering, and other illegal activities. They reportedly recruited Korean women, kept them at the businesses for three months at a time, and forced them to engage in sex work.

The Mahoning Valley Sheriff’s Office stated that the indictment follows years of investigation by its human trafficking task force. The probe included “Operation Saving Daylight,” a large-scale raid carried out in March 2023, during which authorities seized large amounts of cash and business records.

The six Korean American defendants were identified as Hwang Tae-Sook (62), Hwang Chang-Mi (59), Yoon Young-Hee (56), Seok-Hee Star (64), Geum-Ja Sugas (75), and Kim Young-Sook (61). Some of the suspects are from Texas and Georgia, officials noted.

Attorney General Yost described the operation as part of an ongoing effort to dismantle organized sex trafficking crimes.

“This investigation reflects our continued commitment to rooting out organized sexual exploitation,” Yost said.

BY BRIAN CHOI [ichoi@koreadaily.com]