SAN DIEGO — A former San Diego vice police detective and his associates pleaded responsible to numerous crimes following a multi-agency investigation.
Peter Griffin, 78, and three co-defendants pleaded responsible in federal court docket April 4 in reference to their operation of 5 illicit therapeutic massage companies in California and Arizona. For years, the companies profited by exploiting girls to carry out industrial sexual companies below the guise of providing therapeutic therapeutic massage.
In keeping with court docket paperwork, Griffin, who left the San Diego Police Division in 2002, and codefendants Kyung Sook Hernandez, 58; Yu Hong Tan, 56; and Yoo Jin Ott, 46, owned and operated Genie Oriental Spa, Felicita Spa, Blue Inexperienced Spa, Maple Spa and Therapeutic massage W Spa, positioned within the better San Diego space and in Tempe, Arizona, between 2013 and August 2022.
The felony scheme included incorporating their companies with state companies, managing the funds of the companies, promoting industrial sexual companies on-line, recruiting and using girls to carry out industrial sexual companies within the companies, and benefiting financially from the unlawful enterprises. The defendants leased a number of industrial properties as storefronts, leased and acquired residential properties to make use of as housing for workers and secured bank card processing gear to function the illicit therapeutic massage companies.
Griffin, who can be a former legal professional, beforehand labored as a detective with the Vice Operations Unit of the San Diego Police Division, a unit tasked with dismantling the very companies he operated and promoted for private revenue. In keeping with his plea settlement, all through the course of the scheme, Griffin used the expertise and expertise he acquired by means of his work as a vice detective — and in at the very least one occasion, his badge — to assist the companies evade legislation enforcement; thwart regulatory inspections, investigations and any official motion in opposition to the companies; conceal proof and preserve a facade of legitimacy.
On one other event, Griffin instructed an worker that he was a former police officer and instructed her to not “open [her] mouth” about her employment on the illicit therapeutic massage enterprise. Griffin additionally obtained info on prospects and staff on behalf of the illicit therapeutic massage companies by utilizing sources he had entry to by means of his non-public investigator license. Via the course of the scheme, the defendants inspired and anticipated staff to carry out industrial sexual companies inside the companies and relied on Griffin’s legislation enforcement background to assist conceal the felony conduct. When one worker initially refused to carry out industrial sexual companies, one of many defendants instructed her to “depart [her] morals in China” to “make the purchasers completely happy.”
“This trusted member of the neighborhood and his associates profited from the unlawful proceeds of the industrial intercourse business which is commonly accompanied by different types of felony exercise resembling cash laundering,” mentioned HSI San Diego Particular Agent in Cost Chad Plantz. “This legislation enforcement officer utilized his institutional data of the job to betray the general public belief. HSI will proceed working with our federal, state and native legislation enforcement companions to carry accountable those that revenue off of people lured into this exploitative business.”
“This felony scheme concerned illicit companies that exploited a susceptible inhabitants,” mentioned U.S. Lawyer Randy Grossman. “We’re dedicated to prosecuting the offenses that affect not solely the staff of those illicit companies, however the security of the communities through which they function.” Grossman thanked the prosecution staff and investigating companies for his or her glorious work on this case.
“The defendant — a former vice detective who as soon as took an oath to uphold our legal guidelines — knew greater than most that illicit therapeutic massage companies cruelly revenue by exploiting girls for industrial intercourse,” mentioned Assistant Lawyer Normal Kristen Clarke of the Justice Division’s Civil Rights Division. “We’re dedicated to prosecuting the proprietors of those unlawful companies, and to shining a light-weight on these locations the place sexual exploitation and trafficking persist.”
“Peter Griffin misused the experience acquired throughout his time as a vice detective and abused the respect that got here together with his badge — all to make sure that his therapeutic massage parlors operated below the radar for his private monetary acquire,” mentioned Assistant Lawyer Normal Kenneth A. Well mannered Jr. of the Justice Division’s Prison Division. “The responsible pleas of Griffin and his co-defendants underscore the Justice Division’s dedication to holding accountable those that revenue from crime, notably crimes that contain the exploitation of susceptible populations and the abuse of belief that communities place in legislation enforcement. This plea wouldn’t have been potential with out the progressive and collaborative efforts of our companions in federal and native legislation enforcement, the Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit and the U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace for the Southern District of California.”
“Nobody is above the legislation. I’m appalled that somebody who as soon as took an oath to guard our neighborhood might prey on the susceptible,” mentioned San Diego Chief of Police David Nisleit. “I’m happy with our personal SDPD officers who helped make this investigation potential and I commend our accomplice companies for his or her diligence in holding Peter Griffin and his accomplices accountable. This is a vital step towards justice for the survivors of those crimes.”
“Investigating felony exercise that targets susceptible people and communities is certainly one of IRS-CI’s prime priorities,” mentioned Tyler Hatcher, particular agent answerable for IRS Prison Investigations’ Los Angeles area workplace. “Peter Griffin and his co-defendants will now face the results of their virtually decade lengthy unlawful enterprise that took benefit and victimized girls inside our neighborhood. IRS-CI is dedicated to utilizing our monetary experience to hint illicit funds and convey down these felony enterprises.”
“Griffin betrayed the pledge he took to uphold our legal guidelines and to guard the members of our neighborhood by means of his egregious misuse of energy and data,” mentioned performing Particular Agent in Cost John Kim of the FBI’s San Diego area workplace. “We admire the collaboration of our federal, state and native companions to make sure that justice is served to Griffin and his co-conspirators. There is no such thing as a place in our neighborhood for many who negligently prioritize cash over folks.”
The investigation was led by HSI, the Inner Income Service’s Prison Investigation division and the San Diego Human Trafficking Process Pressure — a regional, multiagency effort led by the California Division of Justice devoted to supporting survivors and holding traffickers accountable. The duty pressure includes quite a few federal, state and native companies, in addition to the Southwest Border Excessive Depth Drug Trafficking Space program.
The investigation was additionally supported by the FBI, the San Diego Police Division, the San Diego Sheriff’s Division, the Escondido Police Division, the San Diego District Lawyer’s Workplace, and the Tempe, Arizona Police Division. Assistant U.S. Lawyer Jill Streja of the Southern District of California, Trial Lawyer Caylee Campbell of the Cash Laundering and Asset Restoration Part of the Prison Division of the Division of Justice, and Trial Lawyer Leah Department of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case.
HSI is the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Division of Homeland Safety (DHS), chargeable for investigating transnational crime and threats, particularly these felony organizations that exploit the worldwide infrastructure by means of which worldwide commerce, journey, and finance transfer. HSI’s workforce of greater than 8,700 staff consists of greater than 6,000 particular brokers assigned to 237 cities all through the US, and 93 abroad places in 56 nations. HSI’s worldwide presence represents DHS’s largest investigative legislation enforcement presence overseas and one of many largest worldwide footprints in U.S. legislation enforcement.