2 more Cumberland County spas investigated for human trafficking; owner charged - WHP Harrisburg

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CUMBERLAND COUNTY, Pa. (WHP) — The owner of a massage parlor in Carlisle is facing charges after an investigation found that customers there were paying for sexual services.

Chuanxia Wang, 69, of Newport, runs Li’s Asian Spa on 300 East High Street in Carlisle, according to charging documents. The spa is officially called New Asian Spa.

Detectives with Cumberland County’s Criminal Investigation Division began investigating Li’s Asian Spa following a search on Oct. 22 of the GL Massage Therapy, located on 1779 West Trindle Road.

Officers served the search warrant at GL Massage Therapy as part of an ongoing human trafficking investigation regarding spas and massage parlors providing sexual services for payment.

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While searching GL Massage Therapy, investigators found a massage therapy license on the wall for Wang.

Interviews with GL Massage Therapy workers revealed that Wang managed Li’s Asian Spa. Investigators spoke with one worker who admitted to providing sexual services to customers and accused Wang of doing the same, according to a criminal affidavit.

Detectives then began investigating Li’s Asian Spa by surveilling the area and interviewing customers, who said they did pay spa workers for sexual acts.

Detectives said they also discovered online reviews from multiple people who recounted paying for sexual services at the East High Street spa.

On Nov. 19, officials served a search warrant at Li’s Asian Spa. There, they spoke with the property owner, who told authorities the space was leased by Wang and her husband.

Investigators spoke with Wang’s husband, who said Wang had owned and operated the spa for the last seven years, according to charging documents. He reportedly added that Wang sometimes helped out at the GL Massage Therapy.

Authorities also spoke with Wang. Both her and her husband denied any illegal activity.

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That same day, investigators conducted interviews with a Li's Asian Spa employee who allegedly admitted to accepting money to perform sexual services.

Despite the spa featuring a sign that says the business doesn’t provide erotic services, investigators also spoke to two other customers who arrived at the spa, and both admitted to coming to the spa for sex acts.

As a result of the investigation, detectives have charged Wang with nine offenses related to corrupt business practices, prostitution and human trafficking.

She was taken to Cumberland County Prison on Nov. 20 and is currently out on a $100,000 bail, court documents indicate. Wang awaits a preliminary hearing on Nov. 27 at 9 a.m.

And it's not the first time massage parlors in Cumberland County have been found to engage in similar activities.

District Attorney Seán McCormack announced in September of 2023 the county was rolling out an initiative called "Operation: Closed2Trafficking," hoping to crack down on massage parlors that engage in sex trafficking.

CBS 21 has reached out to McCormack for more information about these recent cases and is waiting to hear back.