Inver Grove Heights massage business was a front for prostitution, charges say - St. Paul...

[massage]

The owner of an Inver Grove Heights massage outlet is accused of using the business for prostitution.

Xueyan Wang, 40, of Inver Grove Heights, was charged Monday in Dakota County District Court in Hastings with four felonies — two counts each of second-degree promoting prostitution and second-degree prostitution receiving profit.

Xueyan Wang, 40, of Inver Grove Heights, was booked into Dakota County jail on Friday, July 19, while police were executing a search warrant on her massage business. (Courtesy of Dakota County sheriff’s office)

Wang was arrested Friday while police were executing a search warrant at the business, which is in the Arbor Pointe strip mall off Concord Boulevard and northeast of Minnesota 55. She remained jailed Monday night in lieu of $750,000 bail, or $350,000 without conditions.

According to a criminal complaint:

In March, Inver Grove police began an investigation into Herb Spa after officers learned of customer reviews on a website that gives information about illegal services at massage businesses. The reviews for Herb Spa began in 2017 and described sexual acts that were performed, the masseuse that performed them and cost.

The city granted Wang a therapeutic massage license for the business in May 2017.

The business had no signage, the front door was locked at all times and customers were required to ring a doorbell to gain entry.

During the investigation, officers stopped two men on two separate occasions after they left Herb Spa. Both men said they had paid women working at the business to perform sexual acts on them. Neither of the women were Wang, the men said.

Police surveillance was conducted on the business and showed that Wang and women working at the business appeared to be living there. Wang made multiple runs to and from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, and paid airfare for women to fly from San Francisco and Chicago.

A review of Wang’s bank account showed that she issued checks to purchase several plane tickets, paid for advertising on a website (formerly Backpage.com) and wired money to an account in China from her personal checking account.

During Friday’s search of the business, officers found two women inside who were living in the back of the business. There were no traditional massage tables, and beds were on wood crates on the floor.

One woman said she was from California and had been working at the business since February. She said she paid Wang rent and that Wang kept half the profit she made from services she provided. Wang went shopping to provide groceries and toiletries, the woman said.

Officers also found more than $55,000 — mostly made up of $20 bills — and a notepad that listed different sexual services along with corresponding prices.

Wang was arrested when she walked into the business carrying bags of groceries. Her next court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 15.


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