On September 27, Han Lee, a Korean-American woman from Massachusetts, made a significant admission in federal court. She confessed to operating high-end escort services in various apartment buildings across the Greater Boston area and the suburbs of Washington D.C. Her clientele reportedly included affluent professionals, politicians, corporate executives, lawyers, and high-ranking military officers.

In her court appearance in Boston, Lee pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges, specifically for persuading and enticing primarily Asian women into prostitution, as well as money laundering in Massachusetts and Virginia.

This case has garnered attention since last November, when prosecutors charged three individuals linked to a sex trafficking operation based in apartments located in Cambridge and Watertown, Massachusetts, as well as in Fairfax and Tysons, Virginia. Among the accused, Han Lee was the first to enter a guilty plea.

At 42 years old, Lee is facing a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison, with her sentencing scheduled for December 20. During her statement to Federal District Judge Julia Kobick, she stressed that, despite her involvement in the illegal sex trade, she did not coerce any women into prostitution.

Using a Korean interpreter, she stated, “I just want to emphasize that I did not control these women.”

According to court records, another defendant, Junmyung Lee, is set to plead guilty on October 30, while the third defendant, James Lee, has pleaded not guilty and is currently in the midst of negotiations.

Prosecutors revealed that clients were willing to pay between $350 to $600 per hour for sexual services, which were marketed through two websites claiming to offer nude models for professional photography. Authorities believe this operation has been active since at least 2020.

Estimates suggest that the network may have served hundreds of clients, which included elected officials, executives from the pharmaceutical and technology sectors, as well as doctors, military personnel, professors, lawyers, corporate leaders, scientists, and accountants. However, the names of these clients have not yet been released.

Federal prosecutors have referred the case to local authorities in Massachusetts and Virginia, urging them to consider potential state charges against clients who engaged in paid sexual services.

U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy announced last December that authorities plan to pursue state-level charges against 28 suspected clients of the escort service in Massachusetts.

Currently, these cases are in a partial hearing phase at the state supreme court, where a decision will be made about allowing media access to the typically closed “show cause” hearings that determine whether there is probable cause to charge the suspects.