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Attorney General Eric Schneiderman’s investigators and the NYPD rounded up the operation’s madams and a pair of drug dealers who supplied the hookers just days before the big game as tens of thousands of visitors flocked to the city.
“The ring has become much more active in the last two weeks, specifically seeking to capitalize on the excitement around the Super Bowl,” said one source.
“Not only did they cater to New Yorkers, but they also targeted those coming into NYC from out of town by sending text messages to prospective clients.”
Just days ago, ring members sent out a text blast to customers that read “new sexy & beautiful girls R in town waiting for u,” the AG said.
Eleven of 18 people targeted in the then investigation were busted Thursday, and more arrests were imminent, the AG said.
And all of the women in custody were described as “managers” of the ring and not street hookers themselves.
“None of the people who you see here were street level prostitutes. We’re going after the management of this criminal enterprise,” Schneiderman said.
“What we’re doing now is interviewing the prostitutes themselves. We’re trying to identify any victim of human trafficking, first and foremost, and gain intelligence about their business transactions.”
The AG also warned potential johns to keep their libidos in check.
“We also want to send a message to anyone who might be considering patronizing such illegal services before the Super Bowl. Better to get yourself in front of the TV, watch the game, have a couple of beers, stay out of trouble,” Schneiderman cracked.
The ring allegedly used legitimate businesses including a limo service, clothing wholesaler and beauty supply company to launder money.
The ring lured johns with Internet ads and even cable TV spots in addition to the racy texts.
The prostitutes offered what they called “party packs” to their johns, meaning the girls would bring cocaine and other drugs with them to a designated location as a package deal, sources said.
Conversations caught on wiretaps revealed that the ring used code names for cocaine, including “party,” “jewelry,” “powder,” “maek” and “Soojaebi,” a Korean noodle soup.
Authorities said once a customer was zonked on booze or drugs, other hookers would flood his room, and the ring would bill the john’s credit card for $10,000 or more for multiple dates.
One of the locations used for “appointments” was at 990 Sixth Ave., one block from Super Bowl Boulevard, the 13-block stretch of Broadway from 34th Street to 47th Street, sources said.
Cops using a battering ram broke down the door of the building and busted several of the madams there early Wednesday.
The AG dubbed “Operation Shade of Beige,” an allusion to the street name of Hyun Ok “Beige” Yoon, one of the ringleaders.
“They said that she was the biggest player in this market. This is someone we’ve heard of from other criminals as really sort of admiring the scope of her enterprise. As of today, that enterprise has shut down,” Schneiderman said.
The prostitutes belonged to three separate rings, a “Gold VIP group,” a “Jackie group” and Yoon’s “Butterfly group.”authorities said.
They were allegedly provided with cocaine, crack and other drugs by Tony Yoo, 34, and Joseph Landrum, 32, who were busted Thursday on drug charges as part of the operation.
At 8:15 a.m. Thursday, a number of handcuffed, casually dressed Asian women were walked from the precinct to an unmarked blue police van for the trip to Manhattan Criminal Court for arraignment.
The women said nothing while covering their faces with fur-trimmed hoods and other clothing.
Yoo and Landrum were also walked from the stationhouse to an unmarked police car for the ride to court.
NYPD Commissioner William Bratton called the ring was a danger to the community.
“These criminals utilized apartments in residential buildings as a way of carrying out their illicit activities. They disregarded the safety and well-being of every member in those communities by providing a ‘one-stop shopping’ drug and prostitution ring,” Bratton said.
Those arrested were charged with conspiracy, sale of narcotics, promoting prostitution and money laundering, the AG said.
The other women arrested included Young Ok Tae, 38; Kyung Chun “Nicky” Min, 33; Sun Lee “Sarah” Ahn, 56; Young Mi “Jasmine Lee, 40; Ji Young “Ivy” Moon, 40; Janice “Naomi” Lee, 35; and Hee Jung “Leah” Chern, 42.
Also, Haiming “Megan” Quan, 41; Kyong Bin “Jackie” Cho, 44; Jung Hee “Sara” Jang, 43; In Suk “HyoJung” Cho, 49; Ji Young “Jenny” Lee, 34; Hada “Mia” Jang, 26; Nine “Tina” Kim, 31; and Hajoung “Dada” Heath, 40.
The operation was based in Manhattan, but also served Brooklyn, Long Island, Queens and several other states.
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