Four years ago, 4 Investigates exposed a dark secret going on behind the doors of some local massage businesses. Our cameras captured workers offering sexual favors, and they witnessed signs of human trafficking. Despite calls for better regulation and meaningful change in our laws back then, our state is no closer to exposing what goes on behind closed doors. It looks like a deal: luxurious relaxation for a discounted price. She agreed to speak to us anonymously because of what happened.
That feeling followed her to a back room enclosed by curtains. She was instructed to undress before getting on the massage table. A few minutes later a man, her masseur, entered the room. Whenever he was spreading my butt apart, he would go right under the seams I guess of the underwear. She reported it to the Albuquerque Police Department, and just a couple of days later so did another woman.
Another alleged victim, this one claiming the same man had put his finger inside her vagina. Police have identified the masseur as Xuebin Dong. Staffers knew him as Peter. Documents allege he moved out of state. Albuquerque police investigated similar sexual assault allegations from other female customers in , , and Those cases went nowhere.
Anyone operating as a massage therapist in our state must be licensed. State regulators said that is what makes enforcement such an obstacle. The man at the center of this story, Xuebin Dong, was not. But Salazar said cracking down on businesses would require another change in state law. Something we pointed out four years ago, and lawmakers attempted in We tried to speak to Oriental Health Spa.
Someone with the business told us they are cooperating with the investigation. We rely on the integrity of each massage therapist to uphold to their professional ethics, we cannot interrupt the massage while in session, therefore we can only rely on hearing any abnormalities with the help of these partition walls and curtains. When we asked if the business ensures their workers are in fact, licensed professionals. They stopped responding. You can file a complaint with RLD against individuals who are not licensed.
