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AMERICAN FORK — A woman working at a massage parlor in American Fork has been arrested and accused of prostitution.
Ruixue Chen, 37, of San Jose, California, was also booked into the Utah County Jail on Monday for investigation of money laundering.
American Fork police were conducting an undercover operation at Lavender Massage, 359 E. State, when one of the undercover officers was propositioned by an employee, according to a police affidavit.
Detectives later returned to the business with a search warrant and "large sums of money were located in various locations throughout the business. Several receipts were also recovered that showed double transactions for the same card within the same time frame," the affidavit states.
Multiple electronic devices, checks and bank cards were also seized. Police said it was evident the women working at the business were also living there, according to the affidavit.
Two women, including Chen, were questioned. Neither is a licensed massage therapist, according to police.
"While being interviewed, one of the females admitted to detectives that the other female was performing sexual acts on patrons. Neither of the females admitted to being held against their will or being forced to perform sex acts," the affidavit states.
The arrest comes on the heels of a raid of four massage parlors in Orem and American Fork by police in February where investigators allege that prostitution and human trafficking was occurring. Nine people were arrested.
