More than a dozen powerful men accused of visiting a network of high class brothels will be named in court today.
Sixteen alleged johns face a probable cause hearing at a court in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Last week, the first 12 were named and shamed. Another 16 are due in court next Friday.
Six men were all named in court as Frederick Rosenthal, Timothy Ackerson, Matthew Fulton, Jeffrey Henry, Steven Riel and Nathaniel Welch.
Lawyer Lorraine Belostock had represented all six individuals and informed the media that according to the law, her clients are considered innocent until proven guilty.
Prosecutors have stated that these individuals belong to a high-profile group that includes public figures, government contractors, as well as medical and legal professionals.
During the court appearance, Mark Zhu, 28, and Jason Han, 29, were present with their lawyers. The other individuals, Kerry Wu, John Doran, David LaCava, Boya Zhou, Peter MacGillivray, Yihong Zou, Pablo Domingo Maceira, Jonathan Lanfear, Pinhao Chao, and Patrick Walsh, were represented by their legal counsel.
All of the men were found to have probable cause in charging them with visiting a brothel.
All of those named in court last week had also expressed an interest in their ‘gfe’ or ‘girlfriend experience’ services.
Officials say this experience involves a service that ‘blurs the boundaries between a financial transaction and a romantic relationship’.
Mark Zhu, seen here, was told there was probable cause to charge him with visiting a brothel at Friday morning’s hearing in Cambridge
All are said to have patronized a brothel ring that operated out of six luxury apartments in Cambridge and Watertown, Massachusetts, as well as DC’s suburbs, whose clientele have been described as ‘rich and powerful.’
Prosecutors say these stringent checks revealed that the brothels’ visitors included public officials, military officers, high-level government contractors, doctors, professors and CEOs.
Some of those powerful figures are now just hours away from being dragged before a court to face career and marriage-ending allegations.
Prosecutors say they paid up to $600 per hour for sexual encounters with predominately Asian women who were being exploited through sex trafficking.
Those in charge of the brothels also made monthly memberships available to repeat visitors.
No details of the men’s private lives have been shared, but it is highly likely many are married, have families and are considered pillars of their wealthy communities.
Three pimps who ran the prostitution ring have already admitted their crimes after being charged in November 2023.
The original affidavit in the case said that the women were advertised for commercial sex via two websites under the guise of professional nude photo shoots.
Radiologist Jason Han, 29, also appeared in court on Friday alongside his attorney
Last week there was also a demonstration held outside the courthouse
The affidavit also shows a text message sent from a phone related to the operation in Massachusetts which includes a ‘menu’.
According to the document, the ‘menu’ listed sexual services available, the hourly rate and the women available.
The affidavit states that the term ‘BB’ is a term used in the prostitution industry to refer to unsafe sex, and that ‘GFE’ relates to a ‘Girlfriend Experience’.
The document states that this involves a service that ‘blurs the boundaries between a financial transaction and a romantic relationship’.
One of the websites was focused on the Boston area, and directed customers to numerous addresses, while another was aimed at areas in Virginia.
Investigators have since vowed to seek ‘accountability’ by exposing the men whose lavish spending kept the brothels open.
They sought indictments against 28 men accused of using the brothels at a court hearing in December 2023.
The brothel ring, which operated across six locations in Massachusetts and suburban DC, required extensive documentation and references from prospective clients, handing prosecutors a goldmine of information about the men who used it
The original affidavit shows a text message sent from a phone related to the operation in Massachusetts which includes a ‘menu’
Predictable fury ensued as those men sought to keep the hearings closed to the public in a bid to conceal their identities.
They claimed they had a right to privacy. All face misdemeanor charges and none of the men have been arrested.
Such crimes are normally dealt with in Massachusetts by ‘show-cause’ hearings, which are usually private. That has sparked anger over a lack of transparency.
Multiple media outlets challenged requests to hold the hearings in private, with Massachusetts’ State Supreme Court ultimately ruling they should be held in public.
Those accused face a charge of paying for sex, which is unlikely to result in jail time if they’re convicted.
But advocates for the prostitutes say naming the men can help shame them and others into not paying for sex and lower the demand for sex workers, many of whom are trafficked.
