News Summary
James Lee, a 70-year-old from California, has been sentenced to 27 months in prison for running a prostitution network in Boston. Along with a prison term, he faces supervised release and must pay restitution for fraudulent COVID-19 loans. Lee managed several high-end brothel locations and was part of a larger scheme involving co-conspirators. The case highlights issues surrounding human trafficking and exploitation, particularly during the pandemic.
Boston, Massachusetts – A 70-year-old man from California, James Lee, has been sentenced to 27 months in prison for orchestrating a prostitution network that operated brothels in the Boston area and eastern Virginia. Lee’s legal consequences also include three years of supervised release following his prison term.
In February 2025, Lee pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including conspiracy to persuade individuals to engage in prostitution, money laundering conspiracy, and wire fraud. Along with his prison sentence, he was ordered to pay restitution totaling $569,123 connected to fraudulently obtained COVID-19 funds, as well as a money judgment of $63,000 from the proceeds of the prostitution conspiracy.
Operation Details
Lee’s illicit operation ran from at least January 2022 until November 2023, involving the management of several high-end apartments in the Greater Boston area, which he used as brothels. He was identified as the “sole and legal” tenant for at least six of these properties, where he utilized both his identity and fraudulent identities to sign leases.
During the operation, Lee conspired with two other individuals, identified as Han Lee and Junmyung Lee, who, despite having the same last name, are not related. Han Lee compensated James Lee around $1,000 monthly for each active lease as a commission.
James Lee’s role included acting as a liaison between the women employed in the brothels and the property managers, handling maintenance and inspection issues as they arose.
Financial Maneuvering
To conceal the revenue generated from the prostitution network, the three individuals employed various duplicitous methods. They transferred earnings into personal bank accounts and utilized peer-to-peer transfer services. They also amassed hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, which they converted into money orders to cover rent and utility payments on the brothel locations.
Furthermore, between March 2020 and September 2021, James Lee submitted fraudulent applications for pandemic relief loans using personal information belonging to a third party. He ultimately secured at least $580,000 in COVID-19 relief loans through these deceitful tactics.
Consequences for Co-conspirators
In March 2025, Han Lee, who also pleaded guilty, was sentenced to four years in prison and faced a forfeiture of $5,418,572, alongside a restitution amount yet to be determined. Junmyung Lee was sentenced in April 2025 to one year in prison, followed by one year of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a forfeiture judgment of about $200,000.
Both Han Lee and Junmyung Lee had previously pleaded guilty in September and October of 2024, respectively. James Lee’s arrest occurred in November 2023, followed by a federal grand jury indictment in February 2024, leading to his eventual sentencing.
Broader Context
This case underscores the serious issue of human trafficking and the exploitation that often accompanies illegal prostitution networks. It highlights the ongoing efforts by law enforcement to target such operations and hold those responsible accountable for their actions.
The investigation not only disrupted a sizable prostitution operation but also revealed significant fraudulent activity tied to COVID-19 relief funds, raising important questions about oversight and the safeguarding of public resources during the pandemic.
As the cases against Lee and his co-conspirators conclude, authorities may continue to scrutinize similar networks to prevent further exploitation and financial fraud.
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Additional Resources
- DC News Now
- Wikipedia: Human trafficking in the United States
- KTLA
- Google Search: prostitution networks
- Sacramento Bee
- Google Scholar: sex trafficking in the United States
- Patch
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Prostitution
- 8 News Now
- Google News: human trafficking
