TYSONS CORNER, Va. (DC News Now) — Three men are facing charges for allegedly running a sex trafficking ring with brothels in Tysons and Fairfax.
The Department of Justice announced on Nov. 6 that 41-year-old Han Lee, 68-year-old James Lee and 30-year-old Jungmyung Lee were charged with conspiracy to coerce and entice travel to engage in illegal sexual activity.
According to court documents, the men offered clients sex with women at several locations, including apartment units in the Hanover Tysons and the Avalon Mosaic in Fairfax, charging $600 per hour for services.
During a multi-year investigation, the DOJ claims it has interviewed more than 20 clients of the illicit business, though investigators believe there could be hundreds more. The alleged clients include military officers, politicians, doctors, government contractors with security clearances, and business leaders. Clients were required to provide references for their first visit. According to court documents, some men paid for monthly memberships to receive regular services.
A woman told DC News Now that she would frequently see James Lee greet strange men at the door of the Hanover Tysons and lead them back to his apartment. She said she saw inside the apartment, which she said was dark and illuminated with fluorescent lights, creating what she described as a nightclub atmosphere. She said the men Lee greeted were typically middle-aged and of various races.
According to court documents, the property manager of the Avalon Mosaic encountered one of the women when responding to a leak in the unit. The manager told investigators that the woman said her name was Jissoo. The manager called James Lee asking who the woman was. Lee said it was his daughter but would not give a name. Investigators say that a woman named Jissoo was listed as available for services just two days after the encounter.
Unlisted AT&T and T-Mobile phone numbers for the business go straight to voicemail.
Investigators found more than 68 business entities registered to the Lees, which they say the men used to move money from the sex trafficking operation. They tracked more than $4.5 million in payments to James Lee.
In a motion to hold James Lee, prosecutors argued that he is a flight risk, frequently traveling between the U.S. and South Korea.