A woman from Massachusetts accused of running a high-end prostitution ring that catered to affluent clients in Massachusetts and the Washington, D.C., suburbs is expected to change her plea to guilty in federal court on Friday. Han Lee, along with two others, was indicted earlier this year on charges of conspiracy to engage individuals in prostitution and money laundering.

Initially pleading not guilty, Han Lee has decided to change her plea to guilty. She has been in custody since the indictment. Han Lee’s lawyer, Scott Lauer, confirmed the change in plea but declined to provide further comments. The other co-defendants have either had their court appearances rescheduled or their lawyers have chosen not to comment.

According to authorities, the prostitution ring targeted a clientele consisting of politicians, executives, military officers, lawyers, and professors. The operation utilized websites masquerading as offering nude modeling services but were actually used to promote prostitution. High-end apartments in Watertown and Cambridge, Massachusetts, as well as Tysons and Fairfax, Virginia, were rented out to serve as brothels.

Han Lee was allegedly responsible for recruiting women, managing the websites, and overseeing the brothels. She paid an employee, Junmyung Lee, a monthly sum of $6,000 to $8,000 in cash to assist in booking appointments for clients and bringing in women. The prosecutors claim that the ring made hundreds of thousands of dollars, with clients paying between $350 and $600 per hour for services.

To conceal the proceeds from the illegal operation, Han Lee reportedly converted cash into money orders to make the income appear legitimate. Court documents reveal that the defendants established specific rules for the women staying in the apartments to maintain the secrecy of the business and prevent drawing attention to the illegal activities.

Authorities seized cash, ledgers detailing the brothels’ activities, and phones used to communicate with clients during the investigation. Han Lee’s residence was found to contain items suggesting extravagant spending habits, such as luxury shoes and bags. The websites used a verification process that required clients to provide personal details like full names, email addresses, and employers to be eligible for appointments.

The defendants also communicated with clients through local brothel phone numbers, offering a menu of services available at the brothel and texting directions to the location. The case highlights the prevalence of high-end prostitution networks serving influential individuals in multiple states.