Well knock me over with a feather...who woulda' thunk it? And here we are with in effect, another case of human trafficking on the Main Line ? The need for buckets of money sure does strange things to people. Makes you wonder about the clientele list, huh? Bet Main Line Spas.com takes them off the website fast!

Posted on Fri, Jul. 25, 2008
Berwyn brothel trio charged
They used Chinese women as prostitutes, U.S. charges in indictment
By KITTY CAPARELLA & DAVE GAMBACORTA
Philadelphia Daily News
215-854-5880

TWO YOUNG women from China thought they were going to work as bonafide masseuses at the Swan Day Spa in wealthy Berwyn on the Main Line.

But the two illegal aliens balked when instructed to hop in the shower with a client and massage his genitalia, for $60 in cash, or $65 on a credit card.

In a fit of anger, the spa manager drove them around, screaming and calling them derogatory names, and threatening to turn them in to the police and immigration authorities. Finally, the boss hit one woman with a set of keys.

So, the two women ran away and told police of their plight.

Indeed, the Swan Day Spa was a front for a brothel, and the three people who ran it were arrested in Nevada and Pennsylvania yesterday.

"Simply stated, forced labor is modern-day slavery," said John Kelleghan, special agent in charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE.)

The two-year ICE probe was part of a federal mandate to crack down on human trafficking, and prevent the exploitation of others through forced labor.

In a six-count indictment returned on July 16, spa owner William J. Strunk, 68, of Las Vegas, manager Chun Yong Madden, 54, also known as Kimberly "Kim" Suemi, and John G. Evans Jr., 63, both of Parkesburg, Chester County, were charged with conspiracy related to operating the brothel.

Strunk and Madden also were charged with using a facility in interstate commerce and interstate travel in the aid of racketeering.

Madden also was charged with forced labor. If convicted, they face up to 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine and forfeiture. Madden could face an additional 20 years and a $250,000 fine.

The Swan Day Spa was located inside an old beige stucco building with brown siding and shared an asphalt lot with an abandoned Meineke repair shop....Strunk also rented a nearby apartment, where prostitutes lived until they moved to the next brothel.

After the two Chinese women, identified as Y.Y.Z. and J.H., fled on May 5, 2006, they met with police on May 9, 2006. Police notified ICE agents....Strunk opened accounts at Sovereign Bank, where cash and credit-card transactions were deposited, totalling $195,881. ICE agents tracked transactions by Strunk and Madden from Berwyn to Dallas, Texas, Omaha, Neb., Hagerstown, Md., and Sunrise, Fla.

From these accounts, Strunk, Madden and Evans made withdrawals for their personal benefit and to run the prostitution business, authorities said.

The indictment only cited three financial transactions from customers: $65 from "ML" on Dec. 14, 2005; $65 from "JR" on March 29, 2006; and $75 from "PD" on May 10, 2006.

The brothel's visitors and employees kept a low profile, but didn't go unnoticed, said Chris Cardamone, the manager of Phil's Famous Pizza of Berwyn, located next door to the spa.

"You would see more lunchtime traffic," Cardamone said. "Men and women would park across the street and walk over.

Posted on Fri, Jul. 25, 2008
Chester County prostitution ring broken, authorities say
By Kathleen Brady Shea
Inquirer Staff Writer

In the quaint Chester County village of Eagle, a tropical sign with palm trees outside the Melrose Day Spa yesterday contrasted starkly with the law enforcement raid proceeding inside.

The business on Pottstown Pike was one of two sites targeted by local, state and federal officers, who took three people into custody on charges ranging from conspiracy to promote prostitution to attempted forced labor. The other location was the Swan Day Spa on Lancaster Avenue in Berwyn.

William J. Strunk, 68, of Las Vegas; Chun Young Madden, also known as Kimberly Suemi, 54, of Parkesburg; and John G. Evans Jr., 63, of the same Parkesburg address, each were charged with running a brothel in Berwyn between April 2005 and January, as well as violating interstate travel in aid of racketeering, the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a news release.

Madden also faces charges related to an alleged attempt to force two illegal immigrants from China to perform massages that involved sexual contact with male customers, the news release said.

The federal indictment says Strunk transported two women from the People's Republic of China to Berwyn, where he rented an apartment for them and instructed them to work for Madden at the Swan spa.

About May 5, 2006, Madden engaged in sexual contact with a male customer to show the women how to conduct business. She threatened to take them to police if they did not perform as instructed, hitting one in the head with a set of keys and prompting them to flee, the indictment said.

"This is not an ordinary case of prostitution," acting U.S. Attorney Laurie Magid said in the release. "As the indictment alleges, the defendants in this case attempted to force illegal immigrants to work in their criminal enterprise by using threats of deportation.".....Michael P. Robinson, Madden's landlord, gave her 30 days' notice of eviction two weeks ago - but not because he suspected illegal activity.

"I got tired of fighting her for the rent," he said,

Yeah, I just bet the landlord got tired of fighting her for the rent, right?