FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   DONNA KRISE   
DEC. 2, 2008    PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER 
WWW.USDOJ.GOV/USAO/TXS  (936) 639-4003    

(HOUSTON, Texas) - Man Hui Cho, 55, and his wife, Ki Sun Park, 53, both of Houston, have been convicted of conspiracy to commit bribery, conspiracy to commit visa fraud and conspiracy to import aliens for purposes of prostitution, acting United States Attorney Tim Johnson announced today. Each defendant faces up to five years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.

In February 2006, Cho and Park approached a Houston Police Department (HPD) officer to inquire whether he would be willing to provide advance tips about when HPD's Vice Division or the Department of Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) would be conducting inspections of their two sexually-oriented businesses. Cho and Park owned and operated La Premiere Femme and Sakura Spa. Cho and Park's interest in the information was to avoid the apprehension and deportation of some of the South Korean females working as prostitutes and residing at their businesses who had no legal status in the United States.

Beginning in March 2006 and continuing through August 2007, Cho and Park met with an FBI undercover federal officer posing as a corrupt law enforcement official willing to provide the requested information. Cho and Park made monthly payments of $1,500 to the officer for the assurance that such information would be provided. On Aug. 9, 2006, the officer provided a tip to Park that law enforcement would be inspecting the businesses. After the tip was given, surveillance by investigating agents observed Cho and Park move the undocumented alien workers out of the businesses.

In November 2006, Park asked the same officer whether he could assist in obtaining working permits for two South Koreans who worked at the businesses and whose passports had expired. The defendants later met with the officer and an ICE special agent posing as a corrupt federal official willing to provide fraudulent immigration documents. Cho and Park ultimately paid $10,000 to the ICE undercover agent for two fraudulently procured Employment Authorization Documents (EADs), which they believed would allow the out of status aliens to legally work in the United States.

In addition to $10,000 payment for the two illegally procured EADs, the defendants ultimately made more than $30,000 in bribe payments to the FBI undercover officer during the course of the conspiracy.

Cho and Park were allowed to remain on bond pending sentencing but will be subject to electronic monitoring. Sentencing is currently set for March 9, 2009, at 1:30 p.m.
The criminal charges are the result of an investigation by the FBI, ICE and the Houston Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jason Varnado and Joe Magliolo.