Massachusetts Court Names Some Big Spenders [WATCH]

A group of high-profile clients involved in a Massachusetts brothel ring were publicly identified in court on Friday as authorities laid out detailed allegations, including payments for unprotected sex.

During a hearing at a Cambridge courthouse, 28-year-old Mark Zhu was named as one of the individuals accused of soliciting prostitution.

According to reports, Zhu allegedly paid $840 for two hours of unprotected sex, a service referred to as “bb,” according to The Daily Mail.

Twelve clients of a high-class brothel network are being named and shamed in court…including one sheepish man who showed up in person.

Mark Zhu, 28, was told there was probable cause to charge him with visiting a brothel at Friday morning’s hearing in Cambridge, Massachusetts pic.twitter.com/Y20GutnYIF

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Other men identified in court included Kerry Wu, John J. Doran, David LaCava, Boya Zhou, Peter H. MacGillivray, Yihong Zou, Pablo Domingo Maceira, and radiologist Jason Han.

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Cambridge Police Lt. Jarred Cabral presented evidence during the hearing, stating that the men frequently used coded language when arranging illicit encounters.

Messages included acronyms such as “gfe,” meaning the “girlfriend experience.”

Cabral added that payments, often in the hundreds of dollars, were referred to as “donations.”

Cabral also detailed the operational procedures of the brothels.

Clients were given specific instructions on where to go, how to enter, and how to avoid drawing attention.

Upon arrival at a designated apartment complex, they were directed to text a contact before being buzzed inside.

They were instructed to enter quickly, avoid lingering in hallways, and, if necessary, wait by the elevator or stairwell to prevent suspicion.

Additionally, clients were warned against negotiating directly with the women, as doing so would result in being blacklisted.

Clerk-Magistrate Sharon Casey determined that there was enough probable cause for charges to proceed against 12 individuals named in the hearing.

Three more men were listed on the court docket: Jonathan P. Lanfear, Pinhao Chao, and Patrick Walsh, according to WCVB Boston.

Another 16 individuals are expected to be publicly identified in upcoming hearings over the next two weeks.

Attorney John Pensa, representing 29-year-old Jason Han, acknowledged that his client’s alleged actions were “morally wrong” but noted that Han had no prior criminal history.

Pensa also described Han as a “young healthcare hero” employed as a radiologic technologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

He added that Han was “extremely remorseful and embarrassed.”

Outside the courthouse, protesters from anti-exploitation organizations shouted at the lawyers and defendants as they exited, yelling phrases such as “Shame on you!” and “People are not products!”

Many of the accused men did not appear in court and were instead represented by their attorneys during the proceedings.

The case stems from a larger federal investigation that gained national attention in 2023 when authorities arrested three men accused of running a multi-state brothel network.

Han Lee, 41, of Cambridge, was identified as the alleged leader of the operation. James Lee, 68, of California, was accused of coordinating meetings between clients and sex workers, while Junmyung Lee, 30, was also charged in connection with the scheme.

The three men were charged with conspiracy to coerce and entice individuals to travel for illegal sexual activity.

They have since pleaded guilty.

Federal investigators revealed that the operation, which began as early as July 2020, ran out of luxury apartments in Cambridge and Watertown, Massachusetts, as well as Fairfax and Tysons, Virginia.

Authorities described the group’s record-keeping as “impeccable,” with rental payments for the locations reaching as much as $3,664 per month.

Customers were charged between $350 and $600 per hour for services.

Advertisements for the brothels were disguised as promotions for “nude Asian models for professional photography at upscale studios,” according to prosecutors.

Investigators also revealed that prospective clients underwent a strict vetting process before being allowed to book appointments.

Requirements included providing full names, email addresses, phone numbers, employer details, and references.

Federal prosecutors allege that the sex workers involved in the ring were exploited and moved between states.

Authorities previously indicated that the clientele included politicians, military officials, government contractors, doctors, professors, and corporate executives.

With additional hearings scheduled in the coming weeks, more names are expected to be made public as the investigation into the high-profile case continues.

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