They answered help-wanted ads for nail salons and wound up sex slaves, forced into a life of prostitution by a malevolent madam.
Prosecutors on Tuesday charged a Queens woman with running the operation that farmed out young Korean immigrants to Long Island massage parlors.
Jin Hua Cui, 44, allegedly lived the high life in a million-dollar mansion at the expense of naive women who answered ads in Korean language newspapers, Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota said.
"Women would respond thinking that they were going to work at a nail salon. She then forced them into prostitution through threats of violence, intimidation and embarrassment," Spota said.
"If they did not cooperate she would reveal to their family, friends and members of the community in Flushing that they were working as prostitutes and threaten to have Chinese gangs kill them."
During a four-month investigation, detectives captured footage and photographs of the women - who spoke little or no English - being driven every morning to massage parlors in Huntington Station and Hicksville.
They were forced to have sex for between $60 and $80, but Cui pocketed all but the tips, authorities said. Prosecutors said at least seven women were duped.
A sign in the window of the Huntington Station space advertised a "Stimulus Plan" and "Asian Bodywork." The johns were solicited with ads on Craigslist promising attention from "very lovely" girls.
Detectives executing a search warrant at Cui's sprawling, red-brick Tudor mansion in Flushing found $20,000 in cash, slinky lingerie and thousands of condoms.
Neighbors said they often saw young women going in and out of the house but were still surprised.
"I never suspected anything like this," said Barbara Orlowski, 52, a Catholic school teacher. "You hardly ever saw her, but if she is running a sex ring, I guess she's been busy."
Police also arrested Sangyuel Kuen, 53, of Flushing, for working as a driver. He has already pleaded guilty to promoting prostitution.
Cui, who authorities say is Chinese, pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking and promoting prostitution and was held on $10,000 bail.
She has a 2007 arrest for prostitution in Suffolk County, records show.
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