Framingham Massage Parlor Used As Front For Sex Trafficking: AG

FRAMINGHAM, MA — A Framingham massage parlor was named as one of three locations that was set up as a front fro human trafficking, according to Attorney General Maura Healey. A Quincy woman pleaded guilty on Tuesday and was sentenced to five years in state prison for trafficking women for sex at the illicit massage and bodyworks establishments.

Feng Ling Liu, 53, of Quincy, was arrested in December 2016 after a months-long joint investigation by the AG’s Office and several local police departments and indicted for Trafficking in Persons for Sexual Servitude.

According to the AG, Liu trafficked women between New York and Hadley Massage Therapy in Hadley, Feng Health Center in East Longmeadow and Massage Body Work in Framingham. The victims lived in the businesses and depended on Liu for transportation, groceries and other supplies. Liu recruited women, advertised sexual services online, set up appointments, and arranged for transportation for the victims.

Ten victims were identified during the investigation and authorities recovered a significant amount of cash during the execution of search warrants

Through the businesses, Liu offered sexual services for a fee between the victims and sex buyers. Liu kept most of the profits from these sexual encounters and used most of the money to keep her businesses running as well as buy jewelry, automobiles, and travel, the AG said.

“Traffickers like this defendant continue to use illicit bodyworks establishments as fronts for criminal activity,” said AG Healey. “This illegal business model needs to be disrupted and we’ll continue to fight human trafficking in all its forms.”

In 2015, ten bodyworks businesses were closed after the city cracked down on the new law surrounding human trafficking.