A Ventura County jury has convicted four members of a Chinese family-run operation on felony charges tied to a pimping and human trafficking scheme that prosecutors say ran for more than ten years through massage parlors disguised as legitimate businesses.
The jury returned guilty verdicts on Sept. 24 and 29 against Xiangwei Ma, 56, her husband Ming Ma, 40, her brother Xiangdong Ma, 54, and her sister Li Ma, 60. All four were taken into custody at Ventura County Jail following the verdicts and are scheduled to be sentenced later this month and in November.
Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko said the case reflects a broader pattern seen across the industry. “Illicit massage businesses are often fronts for human trafficking and pimping where victims are coerced into performing commercial sex work,” Nasarenko said. “This case demonstrates our commitment to use the full weight of this office to hold these offenders accountable.”
How the Investigation Began
The probe started in 2020 after several law enforcement agencies received anonymous letters alleging prostitution and trafficking at Ventura County massage parlors, including Miracle Massage in Ventura and A+ Massage in Port Hueneme. Both businesses have since closed.
According to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office, investigators determined that members of the Ma family worked together to run brothels under the cover of legitimate massage businesses, recruiting and exploiting women brought from China for commercial sex.
Customer reviews of Miracle Massage, located on Main Street in Ventura, had hinted at the nature of the business years before charges were filed. In a 2016 Yelp review, one patron wrote: “It is 100% a massage place that is for guys looking for a happy ending. She asked me if I wanted one and I was super shocked, as she slid her hand near my privates, I told her NO I’m here for only a massage.” The same reviewer added, “This place needs to be shut down!”
Money Laundering Allegations
Prosecutors say the family moved and concealed at least $1.25 million in prostitution proceeds, laundering the money through financial institutions, life insurance policies, casinos and real estate deals. The DA’s Office is now pursuing forfeiture of those assets.
One scheme centered on a home on Crowne Oak Lane in Simi Valley, where prosecutors allege Xiangwei Ma misrepresented her employment and income in an attempt to obtain a short sale on the property.
A Ringleader With a Prior Conviction
Prosecutors identified Xiangwei Ma as the operation’s ringleader. She had previously pleaded guilty to attempted pandering in Los Angeles County and served an 18-month prison sentence. Prosecutors say other family members ran the brothels while she was incarcerated, and that after her release she reclaimed control, using other people as “straw” owners to conceal her involvement in the businesses and related real estate.
Sentences Ahead
Xiangwei Ma faces up to 17 years in state prison on pimping, mortgage fraud and money laundering charges. Xiangdong Ma faces up to 13 years, Ming Ma up to 11 years, and Li Ma up to eight years, all on pimping and money laundering charges.
A fifth defendant, Jaime Calderon, who is Li Ma’s husband, pleaded guilty to money laundering in August 2023 and was sentenced to time in Ventura County Jail.
