Latest news with #DonglinZhang
Daily Record
04-08-2025
- Daily Record
Human trafficker pays back just £1 dirty cash after running sordid Glasgow prostitution ring
Donglin Zhang, who was part of an operation of Glasgow brothels, has settled proceedings against her to seize crime profits. A human trafficker who was involved in the operation of brothels from flats in Glasgow today agreed to hand over the nominal sum of pounds one to settle a proceeds of crime action brought against her. Donglin Zhang, 51, was jailed for eight years in 2022 for her role in a crime gang intent on exploiting women for prostitution. Following her conviction for trafficking and brothel keeping offences the Crown raised proceedings against her to seize crime profits. Zhang's counsel Paul Keenan told judge Lord Ericht during a brief hearing at the High Court in Edinburgh that a settlement in the action has now been reached. Mr Keenan said it was agreed that Zhang's benefit from general criminal conduct was £144,373.75 but the amount available for confiscation was nil. Advocate depute Alexander Sutherland asked the court to make a nominal confiscation order in the sum of pounds one against Zhang, who followed proceedings with the aid of an interpreter. The Crown can return to court to seek more if assets are discovered in future under such a settlement. Zhang, formerly of Leithland Road, Glasgow, was referred to in evidence during her earlier trial as "the female boss". She was involved in trafficking a young woman from China who arrived in the UK in September 2018 with the promise of employment. Her passport was taken from her and within weeks the woman, who could only communicate in the Mandarin language, was coerced into prostitution. Zhang told her that if she refused the sex work she would never get back to China. She worked as a prostitute almost daily from October 2018 until January the following year. Judge Douglas Brown, who earlier sentenced Zhang and three co-accused, told them: "All four of you were convicted after trial or pled guilty to the crime of human trafficking with a view to women being exploited for prostitution. This crime involves the deliberate degrading of fellow human beings." "It is a dehumanising experience for the victim in that she is deprived of the ability to act in her own interests and is valued not as a person but merely as a potential source of profit," he said. The judge told Zhang: "You were frequently referred to in evidence as the female boss and it was clear that you played a leading role in the criminal activity." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
Glasgow Times
04-08-2025
- Glasgow Times
Money made by female boss of Glasgow brothel revealed in court
Donglin Zhang, 51, was jailed for eight years in 2022 for her role in a crime gang intent on exploiting women for prostitution. Following her conviction for trafficking and brothel keeping offences the Crown raised proceedings against her to seize crime profits. READ NEXT: Plan to relocate show people from Govan to East End to be fought in court READ NEXT: Council to decide on this plan for former Arnold Clark site in Glasgow Zhang's counsel Paul Keenan told judge Lord Ericht during a brief hearing at the High Court in Edinburgh that a settlement in the action has now been reached. Mr Keenan said it was agreed that Zhang's benefit from general criminal conduct was pounds 144,373.75 but the amount available for confiscation was nil. Advocate depute Alexander Sutherland asked the court to make a nominal confiscation order in the sum of pounds one against Zhang, who followed proceedings with the aid of an interpreter. The Crown can return to court to seek more if assets are discovered in future under such a settlement. Zhang, formerly of Leithland Road, Glasgow, was referred to in evidence during her earlier trial as "the female boss". She was involved in trafficking a young woman from China who arrived in the UK in September 2018 with the promise of employment. Her passport was taken from her and within weeks the woman, who could only communicate in the Mandarin language, was coerced into prostitution. Zhang told her that if she refused the sex work she would never get back to China. She worked as a prostitute almost daily from October 2018 until January the following year. Judge Douglas Brown, who earlier sentenced Zhang and three co-accused, told them: "All four of you were convicted after trial or pled guilty to the crime of human trafficking with a view to women being exploited for prostitution. This crime involves the deliberate degrading of fellow human beings." "It is a dehumanising experience for the victim in that she is deprived of the ability to act in her own interests and is valued not as a person but merely as a potential source of profit," he said. The judge told Zhang: "You were frequently referred to in evidence as the female boss and it was clear that you played a leading role in the criminal activity."
Times
13-05-2025
- Times
Sex trafficker made £2.6m luring Chinese women into prostitution
A sex trafficker who duped Chinese women into travelling to Scotland and forced them into prostitution made more than £2.5 million from crime, a court was told. Jagpal Singh, 55, was given a ten-year jail term in September 2022 after proceedings at the High Court in Glasgow. He teamed up with his partner Donglin Zhang, 51, and an Albanian Vlassis Ntaoulias, 35, to set up a network of brothels across Glasgow. The three were joined by Boonsong Wannas, 62, a Thai citizen, who helped them bring in women from Asia who were forced to provide sex services between August 2018 to February 2020. Their business came crashing down after police visited one of their premises and found a distressed Chinese woman inside who revealed she'd
