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The alleged ringleader of a high-end Cambridge brothel network is set to plead guilty to felony charges later this month — the latest update in a case that has dominated local headlines since the network was busted in November 2023.
Han Lee — a Cambridge resident accused of operating the brothels — is planning to plead guilty at her hearing on Sept. 27, according to documents filed in court earlier this week.
Lee is set to “enter a guilty plea to the charges lodged against her,” per the filing. Lee’s attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Saturday.
Lee, along with James Lee and Junmyung Lee, were each indicted with one count of conspiracy to persuade, induce, entice and coerce one or more individuals to travel interstate to engage in prostitution. The three also each face one additional count of money laundering and conspiracy.
The defendants allegedly established brothels by renting high-end apartments in Massachusetts and Virginia and trafficked primarily Asian women.
Professional nude photography was allegedly used as a front for the prostitution offered through appointments. The defendants established the websites’ domains used for advertisement in August 2016.
Jungmyung — a Dedham resident — asked for a change-of-plea hearing two days after Han Lee’s filing. Both had previously pleaded not guilty. James Lee, a California resident, continues to plead not guilty. None of the implicated individuals are related.
Though prosecutors named the three individuals charged with operating the network, public speculation has largely centered around the brothels’ clientele, which prosecutors say included elected officials, military officers, and university professors.
The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts ruled that hearings on whether there is probable cause to criminally charge alleged customers must be held in public. The names of the 28 clients who were charged in December have remained secret, however, as the court deals with the appeals of 18 of the involved men.
—Staff writer Sally E. Edwards can be reached at sally.edwards@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X @sallyedwards04 or on Threads @sally_edwards06.
—Staff writer Asher J. Montgomery can be reached at asher.montgomery@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X @asherjmont or on Threads @asher_montgomery.
