BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) — Chengying Hu, 49, has been accused of promoting prostitution, money laundering, and pandering after investigations into alleged prostitution operations at massage parlors.

According to official documents, on Sept. 1, 2022, the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office began investigating a massage parlor as a possible prostitution operation. An-Kuo Ho, 62, was the registered owner of the H&Z Spa. The spa was located on Bluebonnet Boulevard and has reportedly changed names. It was found that Ho also was listed as the owner of two additional massage parlors, Maple Leaf Massage and Orange Spa, both on McGehee Drive.

Detectives observed Ho’s vehicle outside of the H&Z Spa on an almost daily basis. Detectives say they then performed an undercover operation on Sept. 1, where an unknown Asian female masseuse allegedly offered “an erotic massage and sexual acts” in exchange for money.

According to the Louisiana Board of Massage Therapy website, active licenses were not available for the parlors owned by Ho. Detectives learned through a website, which is reportedly known to promote illicit massages at parlors, that Orange Spa had multiple advertisements about “Asian young girls working daily” and having “different sexy Asian beauties to bring you other feelings.”

Beginning Sept. 6, 2022, through Feb. 17, 2023, the leading detective obtained a warrant for Ho’s vehicle. According to the affidavit, Ho stopped at other local massage parlors.

The parlor Ho stopped at was Rainbow Spa, which is reportedly owned by Chun Zi Li.

On Oct. 6, 2022, detectives performed another undercover investigation at Rainbow Spa, where an unknown Asian female masseuse allegedly offered “an erotic massage and additional sexual acts” for money.

Detectives obtained a search warrant for utility records for Rainbow Spa on Dec. 7, 2022. Ying Guo was listed as the account holder to pay the utility bills. Records show only two payments were made in $1,000 increments and the last payment was made anonymously to Entergy in cash. Detectives then obtained a search warrant for the Region’s Bank account for Rainbow Spa with Li as the account holder. After reviewing transaction history from Jan. 1, 2022, through Jan. 20, 2023, $75,894 was deposited through electronic bank cards.

Official documents say on Feb. 21, detectives received information that Hu was an account holder on the Regions bank account for Rainbow Spa.

On Feb. 23, detectives performed search warrants on Hu’s residence and the Rainbow Spa. The arrest documents say Hu was established as a co-conspirator that was allegedly maintaining the Rainbow Spa massage parlor.