Mother, Daughter Accused In Statewide Sex Trafficking Case Appear In Court

WOBURN, MA – A mother and daughter indicted in connection with a statewide sex-trafficking case that involved massage parlors from Framingham and Western Massachusetts had their arraignments postponed after appearing in Middlesex Superior Court on Wednesday.

Feng Ling Liu, 50, of Sunderland, and her 26-year-old daughter Ting Ting Yin, 26, of New Hyde Park, New York, appeared in court to be arraigned on charges of trafficking in persons for sexual servitude (three counts); conspiracy to traffic persons for sexual servitude (three counts); transacting in laundered money (three counts); deriving support from prostitution (3 counts); and keeping a house of ill fame (three counts).

But due to a medical issue, the arraignment has been postponed until May 4.

Liu, Yin and a third defendant, Liu's husband, Jian Song, 48, also of Sunderland, allegedly trafficked women between New York and locations in Hadley, East Longmeadow and Framingham, according to Attorney General Maura Healey. Sources say the case may extend to other states.

Song, who did not appear in court, is facing charges of trafficking in persons for sexual servitude (three counts); conspiracy to traffic persons for sexual servitude (three counts); transacting in laundered money (three counts); deriving support from prostitution (three counts); and keeping a house of ill Fame (three counts).

A fourth defendant, Shuzi Li, 52, of West Springfield, will be arraigned at a later date on charges of trafficking in persons for sexual servitude (two counts); transacting in laundered money (two counts); deriving support from prostitution (two counts); and keeping a house of ill fame (two counts).

The defendants were indicted by a grand jury in February.

The charges stem from a months-long joint investigation by the AG’s Office, the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office Anti-Crime Task Force and the Northampton Police Department, with the assistance of various other local and federal law enforcement agencies, including agencies in New York, according to AG Maura Healey.

During the course of the investigation, authorities developed evidence indicating that Li and Liu were allegedly the leaders of criminal operations, running profitable and organized criminal enterprises through “massage parlors” that had been set up as fronts for human trafficking, according to Healey.

Investigators allege that Liu, with help from Song and Yin, allegedly operated the Massage Body Work in Framingham, the Hadley Massage Therapy in Hadley and the Feng Health Center in East Longmeadow. Li was allegedly running a similar operation at her businesses, Pine Spa in Northampton and Agawam Massage Therapy in Agawam.

“Far too often, we are finding that these body works establishments operate as fronts for human trafficking,” Healey said. “We will continue to take down these criminal enterprises and disrupt these business models that are based on making a profit off of the sexual exploitation of human beings.”

Through these businesses, Healey alleges that employees of Li and Liu performed sexual services for a fee. The defendants allegedly recruited women, advertised sexual services online, set up appointments for sexual encounters, and arranged for transportation for the women, Healey alleges.

During the investigation 10 victims were identified and investigators recovered a significant amount of cash during the execution of search warrants. The defendants allegedly typically took the majority of the profits from these sexual encounters.

The money recovered from the businesses were allegedly used to buy expensive jewelry, automobiles, fund bank accounts and travel for the defendants, while the victims often lived in the businesses. The victims allegedly depended on Li, Liu, Song and Yin for transportation, groceries and other supplies.

Through evidence obtained from trash discarded at the couple’s home, investigators learned that in July 2016, Feng Shui Healthy Spa serviced 237 clients and took in $23,000, according to The Recorder.

When investigators searched the couple’s Sunderland home, police allegedly found $22,000 in cash as well as ledgers which revealed the couple made around $300,000 a year, The Recorder reported.

Yin allegedly denied knowing that there was sexual activity going on at the three massage parlors run by her mother and stepfather, which have made more than $500,000 this past year, according to WWLP.com/Channel 22 News. Prosecutors claim that the address of Yin’s apartment was used for all bank accounts involved in money laundering, Channel 22 reports.

For more on this story read WWLP.com/Channel 22 News and The Recorder.

Photo of Ting Ting Yin and her mother Feng Ling Liu in Middlesex Superior Court by Lisa Redmond/lisa.redmond@patch.com.