New Lenox Spa Owner Arrested In Prostitution Sting: NLPD

NEW LENOX, IL — A Frankfort woman faces a prostitution charge after a sex sting operation at a New Lenox massage parlor, police said Friday.

On Friday, Nov. 8 the New Lenox Police Department Lihua Yin, 60, of Frankfort, after investigating a tip of suspected prostitution at Shangri-La Spa, 280 E. Lincoln Way, Unit G.

Police received the tip in September 2024, New Lenox police said Friday. Undercover officers made appointments for massages at the business, and reported that "a massage therapist named Sally had offered to perform a sexual act for the purposes of arousal or sexual gratification at the end of the massages," police said.

On Nov. 8, an undercover officer engaged in a conversation with "Sally," during which she agreed to perform a sexual act for the purpose of sexual gratification for a monetary tip. With the assistance of an investigator with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, New Lenox detectives identified Sally as Lihua Yin, the owner of Shangri-La Spa.

It was also determined that Yin was operating the spa without the proper massage license through the State of Illinois.

Yin was taken into custody and charged with one count of prostitution and 1 count of practicing or aiding in the practice of massage therapy without a license. During an interview, Yin told police that she had provided sexual gratification to several customers for the past few months, officials said.