Oakland County Massage Probe: $122,000 Seized From Suspected Trafficking Ring
A mother and son face felony charges after undercover work revealed women housed in basements and paid in cash and designer goods.
By Lucas Navarro ·
Oakland County prosecutors seized over $122,000 in assets on October 7, dismantling a suspected human trafficking network operating out of two massage shops in Novi and Commerce Township. The crackdown followed an undercover investigation by the Sheriff’s Office Human Trafficking Prevention Task Force that targeted the businesses and the residential properties where workers were kept.
Minjie Wu, 54, and her son Ruize Wu, 28, were arrested and arraigned on November 6. Both were charged with conducting a criminal enterprise, human trafficking enterprise, money laundering, tax fraud, and maintaining a house of ill fame. Minjie Wu also faces a charge of second-degree criminal sexual conduct. Bond was set at $50,000 cash for each defendant.
The investigation began in August 2026 after suspicious activity at the massage locations drew the attention of the Sheriff’s Office. Undercover detectives visited the businesses multiple times and were offered sexual services for money. During one operation, a detective experienced unwanted sexual contact, leading to the additional charge against Minjie Wu. Investigators executed search warrants at four connected locations, finding more than $47,000 in cash and designer merchandise valued at over $75,000. They also recovered two vehicles, gold bars, jewelry, financial records, electronic devices, and passports.
The residential properties used to house the women were part of the alleged operation. At one home, investigators found a basement with multiple rooms built to accommodate additional workers. The women, all from China, were involved in commercial sexual activity. During a search, officers discovered an employee unclothed with a customer inside one of the properties.
Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald stated that the recovery of cash, gold, and personal documents illustrated the scale of the alleged business. She noted that women are often brought to the country under false pretenses and cut off from their families. "They’re forced to perform sex acts with almost no interaction with the outside world," McDonald said.
The case reflects a sharp rise in enforcement efforts across the county. Before the formation of the Human Trafficking Unit, prosecutors handled only five cases over nine years. Since the unit began operating, the county has seen 45 cases in 21 months. Sheriff Michael Bouchard said the increase is not just a sign of a growing problem, but of greater focus and resources dedicated to identifying offenders. "Sadly, these numbers are growing, not declining," Bouchard said.
Local governments in the region are responding to the issue as well. Last month, the Pontiac City Council passed an emergency ordinance creating a six-month moratorium on new non-medical massage businesses. Council President Adrian Austin said the move was a priority for the entire council after businesses advertised illicit services on the dark web. Law Director Tamaris Henagan said the pause allows the city to review and update its business licensing laws to address current activities.
The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with information about suspected human trafficking to contact the Human Trafficking Prevention Task Force at 248-858-0411.
