California man sentenced for brothel operation in eastern Va., Boston
70-year-old James Lee was sentenced to more than two years in prison with three years of supervised release.
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From at least January 2022 through November 2023, James Lee conspired with two others, identified as Han Lee and Junmyung Lee, to operate a prostitution network with multiple brothels in eastern Virginia and Boston.
James Lee rented several high-end apartments as the sole tenant to use as brothel locations, using his own name as well as fraudulent or stolen identities. Han Lee paid James Lee around $1,000 per month for each active lease.
Han Lee also served as a liaison between the women working in the units and the property managers by fielding calls and coordinating any issues that arose relating to maintenance and inspections.
James Lee and his co-conspirators knowingly conspired with one another to launder the proceeds of the prostitution network by concealing that the money was derived from the prostitution conspiracy.
James Lee was arrested and charged in November 2023 with his co-defendants. The defendants were subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2024.
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In February of 2025, James Lee pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to persuade, induce, entice and coerce one or more individuals to travel in interstate or foreign commerce to engage in prostitution; one count of money laundering conspiracy; and one count of wire fraud.
James Lee was also sentenced for his involvement in fraudulently obtaining over $580,000 in COVID-19 relief funds. The Court ordered restitution in the amount of $569,123 in connection with the fraudulently obtained COVID-19 funds and a money judgment of $63,000 related to the proceeds earned by the defendant as a result of the prostitution conspiracy.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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