Four of Ventura County Ma Family Sentenced in Illicit Massage Case; Ringleader Gets 14 Years 8 Months
Four members of a Chinese family-run criminal enterprise in Ventura County, California, have been sentenced to state prison for operating illicit massage businesses as fronts for commercial sex and laundering the proceeds, the Ventura County District Attorney's Office announced on November 4. The ringleader, Xiangwei Ma, 56, was sentenced to 14 years and 8 months; her brother Xiangdong Ma, 54, received 10 years; her sister Li Ma, 60, received 5 years and 4 months; and her husband Ming Ma received 4 years and 4 months.
A jury convicted the four of multiple felonies, including pimping, mortgage fraud and money laundering. Prosecutors said that for more than a decade the enterprise recruited and exploited women who were citizens of China for commercial sex, laundering the proceeds through financial institutions, real estate and other assets; the convictions support the forfeiture of more than $1.25 million in seized assets. Xiangwei Ma had previously pleaded guilty to attempted pandering in Los Angeles County and served an 18-month sentence. Senior Deputy District Attorney Rikole Kelly prosecuted the case.
(Source: Ventura County District Attorney's Office)
Source: Ventura County District Attorney's Office
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：加利福尼亚州文图拉市中心。作者：Jamie Brown，CC0，取自 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: Downtown Ventura, California. By Jamie Brown. CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
