NJ Man Sentenced For Making Fake Massage Certificates For Prostitution

HUNTERDON COUNTY, NJ — A Hunterdon County man was sentenced to 33 months in prison for making and selling fake massage therapy training certificates to be used by various New Jersey massage parlors who engaged in prostitution, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced Monday.

Naresh Rane, 68, of Tewksbury, previously pleaded guilty to count 1 of an indictment charging him with knowingly and intentionally using and causing the use of facilities in interstate commerce to promote, manage, establish, carry on, and facilitate the business of prostitution in violation of New Jersey law.

Rane owned and operated Axiom Healthcare Academy, which claimed to provide classes in massage therapy training. For a free, Rane offered to provide massage therapy training certificates to anyone who wished to obtain a massage license without the required training. for a fee that ranged from $1,000 to $2,600, according to documents filed in this case and statements made in court.

Rane would also offer to provide phony transcripts listing classes and grades.

Rane admitted Monday that he knew the documents he was producing and selling were used to disguise prostitution activities as legitimate massage services, according to authorities.

Between November 2013 and March 2014, Rane gave 10 fake massage therapy training certificates and transcripts to former Westwood councilman, Robert Miller. Miller then gave them to prostitutes working in different massage parlors located in Union, Passaic, Hudson and Middlesex counties.

In February 2016, Miller pleaded guilty to using facilities in interstate commerce to promote prostitution and performing an act to promote, manage, establish, carry on, and facilitate that unlawful activity. Read More: Former Westwood Councilman Admits To Facilitating Prostitution

Miller served as a Ridgewood councilman from 1996 to 1998 and for about seven years in his native Westwood until he resigned in 2015.

On July 7, 2016, Miller and his wife, Aecha "Gina" Miller, were found dead at their home, which authorities said were apparent suicides. Read More: Former Westwood Councilman, Wife Dead In Apparent Suicides: Prosecutor

In addition to the prison term, Rane was sentenced to three years of supervised release.

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