SANTA CLARA COUNTY, Calif. (KRON) — A married couple has been charged with human trafficking and operating at least six brothels in Santa Clara County.
The tech businessman and his wife allegedly trafficked “dozens” of women from China, South Korea, and Eastern Europe, the Santa Clara County District Attorney said. Authorities were able to rescue six of their alleged victims.
David Davies, 57, and Larong Hu, 38, are accused of running these brothels in apartments in San Jose and Milpitas. The DA said the couple “rotated more than 100 sex workers before they were sent to other U.S. cities.”
Men were observed coming and going to these apartments in 30 minute and hour increments, the DA added. Investigators said they uncovered sex work paraphernalia in the rooms.
The victims told authorities that they would service 10-15 men per day. They found the brothels online and paid Hu through Venmo and PayPal, according to the DA. The victims said they often were locked in the brothels and their passports were taken from them. The women also had to pay for their own food and daily necessities.
The suspects will be arraigned Friday. Davies and Hu are charged with felony human trafficking, pimping and pandering, and money laundering.
“People do not have the right to treat other people like pack animals,” DA Jeff Rosen said. “This
County will spare no effort to track down those who exploit others for profit and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.”
The women were offered support for victims of human trafficking.