TAMARAC, Fla. – Broward County deputies arrested a Tamarac woman Tuesday, accusing her of acting as a madam at a massage parlor that was actually a front for prostitution.
Susan Ling Lee, 53, was charged with deriving support from the proceeds of prostitution and money laundering of $100,000 or more.
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In court Wednesday, Broward County Assistant State Attorney Eric Linder said Lee operated several massage parlors in the area.
According to an arrest report, the Broward Sheriff’s Office investigation began after an anonymous Crime Stoppers tip from a prospective customer at Far East Massage, located at 4620 W. Commercial Blvd. in Tamarac.
The tipster reported that when he went to get a massage at the establishment, a woman greeted him wearing nothing but a bra and underwear, guided him to a room and asked him “how long he wanted the massage for” and was informed of the price, including a tip, the report states.
Deputies wrote that the customer told the woman that he only wanted a massage and didn’t want any “extras,” and that he would tip at the end.
The woman then “turned away” the customer and told him “he should find another massage place that offered massages,” the report states.
Much of the remainder of the report was redacted, but detectives wrote that Lee had deposited $569,406.81 into multiple bank accounts over a two-year span, a dollar amount “inconsistent” with state wage and hour records.
Deputies arrested Lee at a Fort Lauderdale apartment complex.
Linder alleged that Lee was involved with money laundering and possibly human trafficking and had been convicted of similar charges in New York back in 2015.
As of Thursday, she was being held in the Paul Rein Detention Facility in Pompano Beach on a $275,000 bond.
She was ordered to surrender her passport, records show, and ordered not to contact any potential witnesses or employees.
If released from jail, she’ll be required to wear a GPS ankle monitor.