HONOLULU — An alleged Hawaii brothel owner tried to bribe federal agents in exchange for protection from raids, help with the U.S. citizenship test and recruitment of prostitutes, Homeland Security investigators said. ADVERTISING HONOLULU — An alleged Hawaii brothel owner
HONOLULU — An alleged Hawaii brothel owner tried to bribe federal agents in exchange for protection from raids, help with the U.S. citizenship test and recruitment of prostitutes, Homeland Security investigators said.
A criminal complaint filed Tuesday in federal court accuses Biyu Situ of bribing a Homeland Security Investigations special agent last year.
The document says she made the offer in January 2015 after two Chinese women at her Mayflower massage parlor in Honolulu’s Century Center were arrested for prostitution during a joint operation with Honolulu police and Homeland Security Investigations to find potential human trafficking victims.
When two special agents from Homeland Security Investigations arrived to do a follow-up interview with Situ, she allegedly told them she wants the same arrangement her friend’s massage parlor has with a Honolulu law enforcement officer.
She said her friend runs a prostitution business and pays an officer who tips her off about any law enforcement activity.
Situ said “it was hard for her to operate her business successfully with so much law enforcement activity,” the complaint said.
The agent turned down the bribe, along with a veiled offer of sex, according to the court document.
A few months later, a confidential informant met with Situ to discuss her new massage parlor called Blue Angel. Situ told the informant she invested $115,000 in the business. During the conversation, Situ allegedly took calls from customers seeking massage and sex appointments.
The complaint says she directed callers to Blue Angel at downtown’s Kukui Plaza.
Situ asked the informant about immigration connections and suggested she could pay $10,000 a month or every few months for protection of Blue Angel, the complaint said.
