Massage Parlor Owners From Putnam Valley Busted For Prostitution Business, Get Time In Prison - NewsBreak

[Ben Crnic]

A Hudson Valley couple will spend time in federal prison for running a prostitution ring out of massage parlors in the region and New York City, officials announced.

Putnam County residents Hong Ru Lin, age 51, also known as "Bruce," and Kena Zhao, age 46, also known as "Angela," both from Putnam Valley, were each sentenced to a year and one day in prison after pleading guilty to charges related to their prostitution business, the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of NY announced on Friday, Jan. 17.

According to court documents and statements from officials, from September 2020 to September 2023, Lin and Zhao used massage parlors in Putnam, Westchester, New York, and Queens counties that they owned as fronts for prostitution.

The couple employed women to perform sexual acts for customers, managing them through cell phones and private chatrooms. Lin and Zhao both monitored the income generated from the illegal business and assigned workers to customers. They also set performance goals for employees.

Additionally, on at least one occasion, Zhao personally participated in a massage where a sexual act was offered to a customer.

In addition to their prison terms, Lin and Zhao were sentenced to two years of supervised release and forfeited over $1.3 million, representing proceeds from their illegal activities. The pair also surrendered assets tied to their businesses, including bank accounts and cash.