Attorney General sues spa accused of human trafficking

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    CRESTWOOD, Missouri (KMOV) — Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt has filed a civil lawsuit against a Crestwood spa accused of human trafficking.

Schmitt’s office said Tuesday there have been multiple accounts of young Asian girls at the Royal Day Spa providing sex acts in exchange for money. The Royal Day Spa is in the 8900 block of Watson Road.

According to Schmitt, Crestwood officers talked to three men who visited Royal Day Spa on December 16, 2020. The men said they paid a female masseuse $60 plus a tip that ranged from $20 to $40 for sexual favors. The spa was also reportedly featured on websites like RubMaps.ch and USASexGuide.nl, which is where people can post their “experiences” at massage businesses. Between 2017 and 2020, the lawsuit said there were over 20 reviews on Rubmaps.ch from people who went to the spa.

The documents state a woman posted a Google review giving the business a one-star review with the following complaint: “I’m pretty sure this is a front for a happy ending.” The spa responded to the complaint and expressed they were sorry she had a ” bad experience but didn’t deny any allegations.

Schmitt’s lawsuit alleges two counts of public nuisance and seeks to immediately shut the spa down. His office told News 4 a criminal investigation into the business is also underway.

The lawsuit is part of the HOPE Initiative, which targets illicit massage businesses throughout the state. The initiative has three phases: landlord engagement, civil action and criminal action. This is the fifth lawsuit filed by Schmitt as part of the initiative.

Below is a list of indicators that may suggest a business is operating as an illicit massage business:

Prices below market – which incentivizes the masseuse to earn tips
Male only clientele
Customers entering and exiting through rear or side entrances
Business is open late at night
Windows are blocked off so that you can’t see inside
Doors are locked requiring customers to be “buzzed in”
Website contains sexual innuendo or references to the appearance of the masseuse
Online reviews describing sex acts
The masseuse(s) appear to live on site

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