Lafayette massage parlor owners charged with sex trafficking, human trafficking - Journal & Courier

[Ron Wilkins]

LAFAYETTE, Ind. — A 14-page probable cause affidavit details allegations of how Deyang Yu and Airu Wang operated massage parlors as a front for human trafficking, sex trafficking and money laundering while not paying taxes to the state.

Yu, 39, of the 11100 block of Bradbury Place in Carmel, and Wang, 37, of the 4200 block of Field Master in Zionsville, each were charged Wednesday — one week after police raided their Lafayette and Kokomo parlors.

The raids resulted in freeing four women working inside the businesses, according to prosecutors. They were provided victim advocate services, shelter and support to ensure their safety, police said last week.

Yu is charged with corrupt business influence, theft, money laundering, promoting sexual trafficking, human trafficking, promoting prostitution and four counts of failure to remit taxes held in trust.

Wang is charged with corrupt business influence, theft, money laundering, promoting sexual trafficking, human trafficking, promoting prostitution and three counts of failure to remit taxes held in trust.

The women, who prosecutors said worked for Wang and Yu, also were forced to live in the massage parlors and pay rent to stay there.

The women, who are Asian, described responding to an online advertisement to work in the United States in the massage therapy business, according to prosecutors. Once in New York, their passports were taken, according to prosecutors.

The women did not receive money for a 30-minute massage, other than tips. They received money for sexual services. The women's pay was deducted $10 a day for rent inside the parlor, according to prosecutors.

The girls often were rotated out of the parlors, and several times, police saw Yu taking women to the Indianapolis airport. Inside the check-in, the women were escorted by men to their gate, police said.

Yu and Wang both are incarcerated at the Tippecanoe County Jail in lieu of $500,000 bond, according to jail records.

Reach Ron Wilkins at [email protected]. Follow on Twitter: @RonWilkins2.