Court Docs Reveal Details on Massage Parlor Raided for Alleged Prostitution

By Joy Bergmann

An accusation of alleged prostitution lodged last July via the Crime Stoppers program set in motion an NYPD undercover operation that ultimately shut down Chinese Best Qi Gong Tuina Back Rub & Foot Rub on February 14th as a “public nuisance”, according to court records.

NYPD’s Civil Enforcement Unit filed its complaint against the Land and Building Known as 216 West 103 Street, Chinese Best and “John Doe” and “Jane Doe” – stand-ins for the massage parlor’s operators whose true names remain unknown.

After receiving the Crime Stoppers tip, two undercover detectives from the Manhattan Vice Enforcement Squad paid visits to the premises.

In his sworn affidavit, Undercover Officer #379 says that on September 5^th he was escorted to a small room with a massage table. Inside, he “engaged in a brief conversation with the female during which I was informed that it would cost $100 for massage and manual stimulation. The female then agreed to perform the massage and manual stimulation. I then left and notified the field team of what had transpired.”

The same officer returned on October 4^th, arranging for an hour-long massage for $40. Once inside the room with a female attendant, “I engaged in a brief sex-related conversation with the female, during which I was informed that it would cost $40 for manual stimulation. The female then agreed to perform manual stimulation. I then left the subject premises and notified the field team.”

In his sworn affidavit, Undercover Officer #285 says he then visited on October 6^th. “Once inside the room, I engaged in a brief conversation with the female during which I was informed that it would cost $26 for a 30-minute massage and $40 for manual stimulation. The female then agreed to perform the massage and manual stimulation. I then left the subject premises and notified the field team.”

Officer #379 returned on October 16^th and arranged for a $40 massage. “Once inside the room, I engaged in a brief sex-related conversation with the female, during which I was informed that it would cost $40 for manual stimulation. The female then agreed to perform manual stimulation. I then left the subject premises and notified the field team.”

Soon thereafter, the affidavit says, the field team entered the business with a search warrant and apprehended the female attendant who had allegedly agreed to the sexual conduct in exchange for money. She was arrested and charged with prostitution. Her identity was not revealed in the file.

The Civil Enforcement Unit cited these incidents in its “Nuisance Abatement” action seeking the shutdown, noting, “no legitimate interest of defendants will be harmed by an injunction. In contrast, the City of New York, and the public at large which it is required to protect, will benefit greatly if the threat of continued prostitution activity is eliminated from the subject premises.”

Not all New York authorities agree with the punitive approach. Last month, State Senators Jessica Ramos, Julia Salazar and Brad Hoylman with Assemblyman Richard Gottfried announced they are working with activists from Decrim NY to introduce legislation decriminalizing sex work in New York.

The case against Chinese Best also demonstrates how multiple individuals and entities may be forced to defend themselves when such sweeps occur.

Chinese Best’s landlord, Branic International Realty Corp (which is owned by Hank Freid) was also named as a defendant in this case. Branic’s attorneys have denied any knowledge of alleged prostitution at their tenant’s business. Further, Branic attorneys say in court documents, the commercial lease for the premises explicitly forbids “any sort of commercial sex establishment.”

Chinese Best was located on the north side of Freid’s property at 103^rd and Broadway that also contains his Marrakech Hotel, currently embroiled in another city lawsuit alleging illegal hotel operations. We wrote about that case here.