A Chinese national faces multiple felonies for her role in an alleged international sex trafficking and prostitution ring that operated through illicit massage parlors in metro Detroit.

Huazi Piao, a 60-year-old woman from China, was bound over to stand trial in the 3rd Circuit Court in Wayne County on human trafficking charges related to commercial sex operations at illicit massage parlors in Wayne County. She will appear in court on Monday, Jan. 13.

Investigators are calling it one of Michigan’s largest alleged sex trafficking rings, which involved several non-citizens and undocumented immigrants.

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Officials from multiple agencies conducted a large-scale sting operation and made several arrests in early December, according to this Detroit Free Press article. The individuals are accused of operating illicit massage parlors in Detroit, St. Clair Shores and Sterling Heights. Two homes were also searched by law enforcement

Piao assisted with the operations of the parlors, according to this Fox2Detroit.com article. Piao, who was arrested last month, is charged with:

• One count of Conducting a Criminal Enterprise, a 20-year felony;
• One count of Conspiracy to Commit a Criminal Enterprise, a 20-year felony;
• One count of Accepting Earnings from Prostitution, a 20-year felony;
• One count of Money Laundering, a 10-year felony; and
• Two counts of Keeping a House of Prostitution, 5-year felonies.

Investigators raided four massage parlors in Wayne and Macomb counties, which uncovered seven to nine women of Chinese and Korean origin, as victims of the alleged trafficking ring.

Among those arrested or facing charges for prostitution, human trafficking, and other offenses, according to the attorney general’s office, are:

• Jingyu Jin, a 45-year-old Chinese national, is the alleged ringleader of the operation. She was arrested and charged with conducting a criminal enterprise, conspiracy, accepting earnings from prostitution, transportation for prostitution, money laundering and keeping a house of prostitution. Jin’s primary residence is in Flushing New York, according to Fox2Detroit.com.
• Jon Villasurda, a 60-year-old Clinton Township resident and American citizen, was arrested and is charged with conducting a criminal enterprise, conspiracy and transportation in service of prostitution. Villasurda is alleged to have provided transport for women between airports and other parlors, according to Fox2Detroit.com.
• Oumar Lougue, a 53-year-old non-citizen from West Africa, faces charges of conducting a criminal enterprise, conspiracy, accepting earnings from prostitution and keeping a house of prostitution. Lougue, believed to be Jin’s boyfriend and business partner, is suspected to be a central part of the operation, according to Fox2Detroit.com.
• Ming Li, a 59-year-old undocumented immigrant, is charged with conducting a criminal enterprise, conspiracy and two counts of keeping a house of prostitution. Among the felonies include money laundering for “washing” parlor earnings through extensive game play at various Detroit casinos, according to Fox2Detroit.com.

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The charges follow an investigation launched last summer into an alleged international human trafficking ring. The bust involved multiple local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations, the Michigan State Police, and the St. Clair Shores Police Department.

In addition, Michael Navoy, a 70-year-old Allen Park man, was arrested for human trafficking and prostitution by state police and charged by the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, according to the Detroit Free Press. Navoy is accused of operating out of a Southgate home he owned.

The investigation began with two separate cases, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said. Michigan State Police detectives were assisting the Maumee Police Department in Ohio with a human trafficking investigation involving Navoy, which led to the discovery of the parlors in Michigan.

Navoy’s charges include two counts of human trafficking, including forced labor and forced labor resulting in commercial sexual activity, accepting earnings from a prostitute, using a computer to commit forced labor resulting in commercial sexual activity and keeping a house of prostitution.

The sex trafficking ring highlights the continued fallout from uncontrolled immigration and President Joe Biden’s open border policies, with reports of increased crime, human trafficking, and homicides happening across the nation.

In Michigan, another Chinese national in the country illegally faces up to 15 years in prison after he allegedly attempted to scam an elderly Canton woman in December.

Michigan’s highest officials, including Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Nessel, have supported open border policies and sanctuary cities.

Under Whitmer, Michigan ranks 49^th for population growth and continues to lose domestic residents. The main growth stems from international migrants, resulting in 96,680 residents between April 1, 2020, and July 1, 2024, according to U.S. Census data.