OWNERS OF ADULT MODELING STUDIOS INDICTED

(HOUSTON, Texas) – United States Attorney Don DeGabrielle today announced the unsealing of a seven-count indictment charging the owners of two area sexually-oriented businesses with conspiracy to commit bribery, visa fraud and harboring of illegal aliens for immoral purposes.

Ki Sun Park, 52, a naturalized U.S. Citizen originally from South Korea, and Man Hui Cho, 54, a legal resident alien also from South Korea, were indicted by a federal grand jury Nov. 5, 2007. Park and Cho are charged with conspiracy, four counts of bribery and two counts of visa fraud. Both defendants were arrested this morning at their Houston residence by investigating agents and are now in federal custody. The United States will seek their continued detention without bond pending a hearing at their initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Frances Stacy tomorrow.

According to allegations in the indictment, Park and Cho are the owners and operators of La Premiere Femme Spa, located at 5901 Schumacher Lane, and Sakura Spa, located at 10873 Katy Freeway, both of which are classified as sexually-oriented businesses by the City of Houston. Sexually-oriented businesses are enterprises intended to provide sexual stimulation or sexual gratification to customers that must be licensed by the city and are subject to periodic and unannounced inspections by law enforcement to determine whether illegal activity, including prostitution, is occurring at these establishments. Park and Cho allegedly kept, maintained, supported, employed and harbored aliens, including aliens engaged in prostitution at La Premiere and Sakura.

After Park and Cho allegedly approached a uniformed Houston police officer offering to pay money in exchange for advanced notice of planned law enforcement action at either of their businesses, the FBI and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) initiated an undercover operation in February 2006. During the investigation, two agents acting in an undercover capacity as corrupt law enforcement officials were allegedly offered and paid bribes by Park and Cho in exchange for advance notice of planned law enforcement raids at their two modeling studios and for two fraudulent employment authorization documents (EAD) for two of their undocumented alien employees. The indictment alleges that between February 2006 and August 2007, Park and Cho paid more than $30,000 in bribes to the FBI undercover officer for advanced notice of raids and $10,000 to the ICE undercover agent in exchange for the two EAD cards.

Upon conviction, the conspiracy charge carries a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment. Park and Cho are also charged with four counts of bribery relating to the alleged payment of thousands of dollars to the undercover officers on four separate occasions between June 2006 and June 2007 with each carrying a maximum punishment, upon conviction, of 15 years imprisonment. Park and Cho are also accused of two counts of visa fraud for obtaining the fraudulent EAD cards in June 2007, each carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment upon conviction. All seven counts of conviction also carry a maximum possible fine of $250,000.

The criminal charges are the result of a joint investigation conducted by agents of the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, ICE and the Houston Police Department-Vice Division. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jason Varnado.

An indictment is an accusation of criminal conduct and not evidence. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and convicted through due process of law.