TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a male Korean national from a sex-industry scouting group in Osaka Prefecture for allegedly tricking a woman into joining a prostitution ring in the United States.
Last February, Jeong Yeong-hwa, 40, a Korean national, is suspected of approaching a woman in her 20s on a street. “You’re beautiful. I can introduce you to anything, from working at cabaret clubs to adult videos,” he told her, reports Jiji Press (Feb. 12).
The woman told him that she wanted to work overseas. The suspect then introduced her to a broker. “I can also introduce you to work overseas,” he said.
Upon his arrest on suspicion of violating the Employment Security Act regarding introduction to harmful work, Jeong, a resident of Osaka City, denied the charges, police said.
According to police, Jeong was a member of a sex-industry scouting group active in Osaka Prefecture.
After meeting the broker, the woman traveled to Washington, D.C. under the pretense of working in the tourism industry. However, she was instructed by the broker to research tourist attractions and to present herself as a tourist at immigration.
Starting in April of 2023, she began engaging in prostitution with up to 13 customers a day, earning approximately 9.6 million yen in the subsequent month.
It is believed that a portion of the woman’s sales was kept by the scout group.
Three other persons, including brokers, have already been arrested and indicted in connection with this incident for arranging the same woman to join the prostitution ring.
