Ventura County Jury Convicts Four Members of Ma Family in Massage-Parlor Sex and Money-Laundering Case
VENTURA, Calif. — The Ventura County District Attorney's Office announced on September 30 that a jury has convicted four members of the Ma family of pimping and money laundering: Xiangwei Ma, 56; her husband Ming Ma, 41; her brother Xiangdong Ma, 54; and her sister Li Ma, 60. Xiangwei Ma was convicted on 11 counts, including mortgage fraud. Chinese-language media reported the verdicts on October 1-2. Prosecutors say that for more than a decade the family used massage parlors in Ventura, Port Hueneme, Simi Valley and Oxnard as fronts, recruiting and controlling women from China for commercial sex and laundering the proceeds through banks, life-insurance policies, casinos and real estate; the government may seize more than $1.25 million in assets.
All four were taken into custody. Sentencing hearings are set for October 23, November 2 and November 4, with maximum exposures ranging from eight years and eight months to 17 years.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 马氏家族四名成员登记照（左起：马向薇、马向东、马莉、马明），文图拉县检察官办公室发布；四人已被陪审团定罪，量刑听证待举行
