Massage parlor manager told an employee the business hinged on her selling sex to customers, complaint says - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

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Three women face prostitution charges after allegedly offering to perform sex acts in exchange for money to four undercover police officers at a West Allis massage parlor.

The criminal complaint filed in Milwaukee County Circuit Court alleges that the manager of Asian Massage, Li Wang, 59, of Milwaukee committed acts of prostitution herself while also pressuring her employees to do the same in order to stay in business.

She has been charged with a felony count of keeping a place of prostitution and a misdemeanor count of prostitution, according to the complaint.

Two other employees — Xiaoye Wan, 44, and Quiying Zhao, 42, both of West Allis — have also been charged with a misdemeanor count of prostitution.

The complaint outlines how four undercover officers, in August and September, visited the parlor and paid $60 for a massage from either Wang, Wan or Zhao. In each instance, the masseuse allegedly offered to perform a sex act for an additional $40 to $60, which the officers declined.

After their arrests, Wang denied to officers that anything illegal took place at the parlor, but Wan said Wang pressured her into performing sex acts with customers. Wang would tell her the business would lose customers if she didn’t, according to the complaint.

It’s not the first time that Asian Massage, at 1442 S. 92nd St., has come under scrutiny for prostitution. In 2017, West Allis police cited four unidentified people at the parlor for prostitution as part of a sting operation that also included another business, where two more people were cited.

Later that year, the city placed a moratorium on new massage-therapy businesses, but misconduct among other, already-existing parlors has continued to surface.

In August, West Allis police announced they arrested three employees of Annie’s Wellness Center, 11300 W. Greenfield Ave., on suspicion of prostitution. Charges are pending with the district attorney’s office.

The 2017 sting, and another in New Berlin, prompted State Rep. Joe Sanfelippo (R-New Berlin) to propose and push for legislation that he said would make it easier for police departments to crack down on problem massage parlors.

Gov. Tony Evers signed the bill into law in November.

Contact Elliot Hughes at elliot.hughes@jrn.com or 414-704-8958. Follow him on Twitter @elliothughes12.


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