In one of New York’s toniest neighborhoods, just a few blocks from the Brooklyn federal courthouse, a shady massage parlor is hidden in plain view.
The Ming Happy Spa on Montague Street, conspicuously open until 1 a.m. seven nights a week, is next door to a high-end women’s boutique and operates an innocuous second-floor storefront that sees a steady stream of well-dressed male clientele late into the night.
The alleged illicit massage business in the upscale neighborhood is one of at least 629 others currently operating across the five boroughs — a network of illegal enterprises so vast, they outnumber Starbucks 2 to 1 citywide, according to data from Heyrick Research.
For every Starbucks that’s in the five boroughs, there are at least two IMBs. In Queens, which has at least 269 open brothels, the illicit businesses outnumber Starbucks 5 to 1, the data from the intelligence-driven counter-trafficking organization that focuses exclusively on the illicit massage industry shows.
Like many other IMBs, the Ming Happy Spa looks innocent enough from Montague Street’s sidewalk. Mainstream chains like UPS and CityMD neighbor the business on the bustling block and stock art of men, women and couples receiving luxurious massages are displayed on the windows alongside the business’s phone number, hours and address.
But earlier this summer, a local teenager in search of an affordable massage after a boxing session at Gleason’s Gym wandered in and noticed the hallmarks of a place offering more than spa services.
“[There was] only one woman working there. She asked me what I wanted and I simply said an hour-long back massage,” 17-year-old Matthew Kodsi told The Post.
“She asked me several times if I wanted anything ‘other than the massage,’ including a shower beforehand. I said no, just the massage.”
William C. Lopez/NY Post
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