Being 'Tender With People' & Making Friends Doesn't Mean A Massage Parlor Is Up To No Good Says Owners In Bust

Police in Bothell, Washington have had several massage parlors shutdown in the downtown area while they conduct an investigation into prostitution and human trafficking at the businesses.

With a city name like Bothell, it's probably a good idea to, if nothing else, pause and take a closer look into the local parlors. There seems to be an increase in "sad endings" everywhere you turn.

A couple who own massage parlors in Bothell, Washington deny claims they're doing anything illegal. (Image Credit: Getty)

KIRO 7, who interviewed a couple who own two of the shutdown locations, reports that the Bothell police had the fire department assist in closing the doors with stop-work notices for "unsafe conditions in the buildings."

The massage parlor-owning couple, Li Wiezuo and his wife Lizhen Yang, told the outlet that there's nothing illegal going on at their businesses. The claims of any prostitution and human trafficking are unfounded.

"You can go inside to check," Li said when he was asked about the allegations involving five different Bothell massage parlors. There's nothing illegal going on in the two they own, they insist.

According to KIRO 7, Lizhen is listed as the registered agent for one of the parlors, and she also appears on the King County inmate roster. They say she was released after being booked for investigation of human trafficking and promoting prostitution.

Business Owners Push Back On Claims Of Illegal Activities

Li makes it seem as if there's some sort of misunderstanding. That's not how they conduct their business. He added, "We are always tender with people. We like to make friends with people."

How do you build a business? Being tender and making friends of your customers is a decent approach. The couple denies any wrongdoing, and they know exactly where to look for such crimes.

"If you want to find or arrest any real criminal, or any human trafficking, or any prostitution, you can go to Epstein Island," Li said.

The captain of investigations at the Bothel Police Department, Mike Johnson, who started looking into the massage parlors after complaints from people in the community, didn’t want to get into the specifics.

The investigation is ongoing, they've made arrests, and expect charges. He noted that the fire department notices were mainly for electrical work done to convert parts of the parlors into residences.

Li says that's not what's going on. They're places for workers to rest. He said, "The bed. The ladies have, you know, they need rest."

He added of his wife, "[A] small, tiny, tender lady... do human trafficking? Ridiculous."