Evans woman charged in trafficking allegations at massage parlors - WRDW

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NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - A raid on Aiken County massage parlors has led to charges against a woman who was tied to them, according to authorities.

In August, search warrants at seven massage parlors in Aiken County were executed by the Department of Homeland Security, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and other local law enforcement.

Agents charged Ping Hong Tang, 52, of Evans, on Friday with seven counts of prostitution - first offense, SLED says.

State records show she owned two of the businesses.

Tang was booked into Aiken County jail and released on a cash bond, records show. Her bond was set at $3,255.

According to arrest warrants, agents conducted an undercover operation at T Aroma Massage. An agent requested a 30-minute massage, paid $100 in covert funds and stated that $40 would be a tip, according to a warrant.

Near the end of the message, the agent negotiated a sex act with the employee for additional money, according to authorities. A check of ledgers and receipts showed customers often tipped disproportionately to the services, according to authorities.

Other arrest warrants make similar allegations involving Georgia Ave Massage, 507B Georgia Ave.; LiLi Massage, 129 Marketplace Drive; and again at T Aroma.

Authorities said digital evidence showed the defendant had a “history of promoting commercial sex activity” including at businesses that fall under Tang’s management at 401 W. Martintown Road in North Augusta.

LiLi and T Aroma are owned by Tang, according to state business licenses.

READ THE WARRANTS:

This arrest is part of an ongoing investigation into allegations of human trafficking at illicit massage businesses in Aiken County, SLED says.

In September, we uncovered documents sharing what they were looking for and more, including the possibility of victims of human trafficking.

SLED is partnering with the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office, the Aiken Department of Public Safety, the North Augusta Department of Public Safety, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Anyone with information about suspicious behavior or possible illicit activity that could involve human trafficking should contact [email protected].

If you or someone you know may be a victim of human trafficking, survivor resources with the South Carolina Human Trafficking Task Force can be found at www.scag.gov/human-trafficking and the South Carolina Victim Assistance Network at www.scvan.org.

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