2 accused of running high-end brothel network in Massachusetts and Virginia are due in court

By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER
Associated Press

WORCESTER, Mass. (AP) — A man and woman accused of operating a commercial sex ring with wealthy and prominent clients in Massachusetts and the Washington, D.C., suburbs are set to appear in court Monday.

Junmyung Lee, of Dedham, Massachusetts, and Han Lee, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, are scheduled to appear in federal court in Worcester, Massachusetts, for a detention hearing, where a judge will weigh whether they should remain behind bars while they await trial.

They were arrested last week when investigators busted the network of brothels in Massachusetts and northern Virginia. Acting Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Josh Levy said those who bought sex services include elected officials, company executives and government contractors with security clearances.

None of the clients have been charged, and authorities have not publicly named any of them. But prosecutors have said their investigation is ongoing.

Attorneys for Junmyung Lee and Han Lee declined to comment last week. A third person charged in the case, James Lee, was arrested in California and has yet to appear in court in Massachusetts.

Authorities say the operation was run using websites that falsely claimed to advertise nude Asian models for professional photography. They are accused of renting high-end apartments to use as brothels in Watertown and Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Tysons and Fairfax, Virginia.

Levy said buyers paid upward of $600 per hour for services and some even paid a monthly membership fee to be pre-cleared for sex in a process similar to TSA PreCheck, Levy said.

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This story has been corrected to reflect that the defendant’s first name is Junmyung, not Junmyhung.