Six individuals, who utilized a network of apartments in four states, as brothels were indicted last week for conspiracy to transport individuals for prostitution, conspiracy to use a communications facility to promote prostitution and conspiracy to engage in money laundering, announced U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan. The indictment was returned as the result of an undercover operation which included the King County Sheriff’s Office, the Kirkland Police Department, the Bellevue Police Department, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE), as well as Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The alleged offenders promoted Asian women for ‘massage services’ on a free classified website, backpage.com, The group allegedly leased apartments in Bellevue and Kirkland, Scottsdale, Arizona, Chicago, Illinois, and Falls Church/Tysons Corner, Virginia.
In a news release, U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durban stated “These defendants exploited vulnerable women immigrants to enrich themselves. We will work with our partners to stop this exploitation. I commend the member of our community who alerted law enforcement. I also applaud the good work of the King County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bellevue and Kirkland Police Departments for their work with ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations on this case.”
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the investigation was initiated by reports of prostitution activity at a Kirkland apartment complex. Investigators uncovered a six person prostitution enterprise spanning four states. The apartment buildings in Downtown Bellevue that the prostitution allegedly took place were: Amli Apartments, Avalon Bellevue, the Courtyard Off Main, the Avalon Bellevue Park and the Belcarra Apartments
Many of the groups’ sex workers were illegally in the United States as a result of expired visas. The women accrued debts to the organizations principal player as high as $60,000 in exchange for employment opportunities in the U.S. The majority of the women were enlisted in Thailand and came to the U.S. aware that they would be working off their debt.
The indicted conspirators include:
Unruean Aboulafia, 34, of Bellevue, is alleged to be the leader of the plot. A Thai national, in the U.S. illegally.
Thanyathorn Mohr, 35, of Bellevue, a Thai National who was legally in the U.S. She allegedly coordinated appointments for the women, responding to placed classified ads.
Jeff Chu, 48, a U.S. citizen living in Bellevue, allegedly leased apartments for the group in Bellevue and in Illinois. Chu was said to collect some of the proceeds for the conspiracy and laundered the income through various bank accounts.
Xinping Zhang, 39, a Chinese National legally in the U.S. and Chu’s ex-wife. She allegedly rented various apartments for the conspirators, collected money and laundered funds.
Edward Flanigan, 57, of Federal Way, allegedly procured apartments for the prostitution activities in Washington and Arizona.
Steven Aboulafia, 59, a U.S. citizen of Henderson, Nevada, and the ex-husband of the ring leader, allegedly leased apartments in Washington and Virginia and collected prostitution proceeds.
King County Sheriff stated “This case is more than prostitution, money laundering, and conspiracy. It is about human trafficking. The Sheriff’s Office is committed to fighting human trafficking and holding responsible those who engage in this despicable activity.”
Bellevue Police Investigations’, Captain Steve Lynch expressed local resolve , “The Bellevue Police Department is committed to proactively targeting all forms of human trafficking with our law enforcement partners on all levels (local, county, state, and federal). Bellevue police condemns the financial and physical exploitation of these victims and the suspects who manage these operations.”
Should the defendants be found guilty, conspiracy to transport individuals for prostitution and conspiracy to use a communications facility to promote prostitution are each punishable by up to five years in prison, and conspiracy to engage in money laundering is punishable by up to twenty years in prison.
Wow, I am shocked. My husband lived in Courtyard of Main with his best friend for 2 years and we lived there together for 3yr until just this last August. I could never have imagined something like this was going on right in our own building. The other apartments mentioned were right across the street in both directions and 1/2 blocks away. I feel just awful that these women were going through this right under my nose & I had no idea.