A couple from Queens, along with their accomplice, allegedly coerced a young Colombian mother into prostitution. Prosecutors claimed that the woman was told she needed to repay a $14,000 fee tied to bringing her ten-year-old daughter to the U.S.
Qwai Lin Chang, 47, and her husband, Bobby Chen, 38, have been charged with sex trafficking, according to Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz. The mother was reportedly made to sell herself to strangers for months from their apartment in Flushing.
Tashi Chimchu, 34, is also accused of being involved, threatening the victim’s six-year-old daughter, who was already in the U.S., unless the mother complied with demands, the DA noted.
“My office is dedicated to fighting the exploitation of residents in Queens,” Katz stated, emphasizing the manipulative tactics often used to coerce victims.
Prosecutors revealed that Chang had initially promised the woman a reunion with her daughter in June. However, this hope quickly turned bleak when she had to abandon her passport and was forced into sex work, despite having been assured she wouldn’t have to engage with clients.
Sadly, Chang and Chen broke their agreement, subjecting the woman to sexual exploitation several times a week between July and September, escalating the fees when she allegedly failed to comply with demands.
The nightmare for the mother ended when undercover NYPD operations intervened, dismantling the trafficking situation on September 4.
Chang and Chen were arrested this week, facing six counts of sex trafficking and four counts of promoting prostitution. They are currently held on Rikers Island and are scheduled to appear in court on November 12.
Chimchu from Forest Hills has been charged with multiple counts, including promoting sex trafficking and illegal possession of harmful materials. He is being held on $500,000 bail and has a scheduled future court date.
