Cuyahoga Co. prosecutor: Lorain 'spa' hosted illegal sex work, 4 operators charged (UPDATED)

The operators of a Lorain spa and several other Ohio spas, where sexual activity for hire had allegedly been taking place since 2022, have been charged with multiple felonies in Cuyahoga County. The Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office, with the assistance of the H.E.A.L. Human Trafficking Task Force operating out of the Lorain County Sheriff's Office, investigated. Charges against four women were announced Monday. Jianling Li, 61; Jinglian Liu, 52; Mengchao Chen, 33; and Yi Mei Lu, 48, were indicted Oct. 1 in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court on one count of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity; two counts each of conspiracy; seven counts of promoting prostitution; seven counts each of telecommunications fraud; two counts each of identity fraud; nine counts each of possessing criminal tools; and six counts each of counts of money laundering. Jinglian Liu also was indicted on two misdemeanor counts of solicitation. The defendants will be arraigned at a later date. The now-closed Blue Spa at 1911 North Ridge Road in Lorain was one of the targets of the investigation. A different business now occupies the space. Maj. Steve Scharschmidt, commander of the Lorain County Sheriff's Office's Major Crimes Task Force, said Blue Spa was raided Sept. 22, 2023. Law enforcement also served search warrants on Beechmont Towers Apartments in Woodmere and Bridlewood Apartments in North Olmsted, Rose Spa and Health Spa in Akron, and Sakura Spa and Belmont Apartments in Columbus. Evidence of alleged prostitution and fraud was recovered, authorities said. Authorities said the operators allegedly established illegal business operations and, using sexually suggestive photographs of "primarily scantily clad young Asian women," advertised for sexual services using coded language. When raided or exposed, the operations simply moved. "For example, after the Blue Spa parlor in Lorain, Ohio, was searched by law enforcement and the brick and mortar business closed, Blue Spa continued operating using its trade name, the same style advertisements and phone numbers, but instead of directing customers to a commercial storefront business, the (defendants) had rented hotel rooms or leased apartments where the girls would engage in sexual activity for hire consistent with the advertisements," authorities said in the news release. The defendants allegedly committed fraud against the hotels and landlords, and allegedly lied to them and the community, according to the news release. Profits were allegedly laundered through multiple bank accounts, casinos, third-party accounts and other financial schemes. "A significant portion" of the money made off the alleged illegal criminal enterprise was sent overseas using international money transfer services, but authorities were able to seize more than $181,000 in cash and froze another $37,000 in multiple bank accounts, they said. Local authorities were assisted by the U.S. Secret Service Money Laundering Task Force and the U.S. Border Patrol, the news release said. This story was updated with the date of the raid on Blue Spa in Lorain. Contact Dave O'Brien at 440-329-7129 or dobrien@chroniclet.com.