Prosecutors in Minnesota say four people have been arrested in a multi-state prostitution ring that targeted Chinese and Korean women, reports MPR News.
Three of the suspects are being held in Southern California and the fourth in Blaine, MN.
“It seemed to me this was the Uber of sex trafficking, where you can get out your cell phone and you can order up a human being and they’ll find a convenient location for you to meet,” said Washington County Attorney Pete Orput.
The victims were recruited by posting ads in Chinese language newspapers. Authorities say they were moved around frequently so that they could not establish local ties.
“The operational control, we believe, was centered in California. There were ads posted; dozens of phones were used to communicate and set up ‘dates’ for these females,” said Washington County Atty. Pete Orput.
One man who rented a home to two of those arrested in Irvine, California defended the suspects to the Los Angeles Times.
“They’re painting them as these evil people, and they’re not,” the man said. “I don’t believe it. They wouldn’t do anything like that.”
Authorities say Hong “Gina” Jing and her daughter, 23-year-old Fangyao “Michelle” Wu, ran the ring from the home with the help of the two others.
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