All language subtitles for Law.and.Order.SVU.S21E07

In the criminal justice system,

sexually based offenses

are considered especially heinous.

In New York City,
the dedicated detectives

who investigate these vicious felonies

are members of an elite squad

known as the Special Victims Unit.

These are their stories.

English, Mei Mei. You must practice.

I miss you.

Come to San Francisco.

It's beautiful.

Look, I will show you.

You see? Please come.

I'll send you a ticket.

Mei Mei, let's go.

Now.

I have to go teach.

- Someday you see him.
- Maybe.

They're headed south toward Division.

You get me cigarettes?

You're welcome.
They're very bad for you.

Grapes better price today.

Yeah, I know.

Hey.

You having nice dream?

I don't remember.

- Hmm.
- Let's go.

Ten more minutes.

- Fine.
- I love you too, Charlie.

Hey, guys, listen up.

So welcome to Operation Dragon Slay.

This is Sergeant Joe Chin

from the Human Trafficking Task Force.

Thank you, Captain.

Our focus: massage
parlors that are fronts

for sex slavery and debt servitude,

undocumented women being forced

to pay off their family's
debt to smugglers.

So SVU has been tasked,
with investigating

the Sweet Joy Relax
Spa down on Eldridge.

How long have we had them under watch?

This one, a week.

The girls are let out one hour a day,

always escorted by Charlie Hu.

He's illegal with ties
to Chinatown gangs.

We estimate off-menu extras

bring the spa around
50k in cash a week.

The women keep the
bare minimum for food.

The rest they turn over to
the spa's mamasan, Evelyn Lee.

Korean-Chinese.

So she's the manager?

Do we know who,
they lease the space from?

Not yet.

The buildings and spas are hidden

behind a web of offshore LLCs.

UCs will pose as clients.

The goal is: we arrest the
johns, management.

We flip them, we follow the money,

- we get the owners.
- Okay, but the girls

we do not arrest, right?

If they talk, great, but if not,

we still offer them immigration,

legal, and medical assistance.

Take them to social services.

Hot stone. Very relaxing.

Good price.

What if I want something...

more relaxing?

I have very hot girl for you.

Ask her for specials.

You get undressed.

- Lily, right?
- Mm-hmm.

Now, my, uh, buddies say

that you're good with full service?

Yeah.

You want executive release,

number one, honeymoon?

That's it.

All units, game on.

Here we go.

- Hey!
- NYPD.

- What is this?
- You, off the table.

Get down.
Keep your hands behind your back.

It's all right.
You don't have to be scared, okay?

Hey! We have a runner!

Don't move.

All units on SVU detail,

we've got a female out the
window facing Eldridge,

sixth floor.

Out of the way!

Guns down! Guns down!

Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!

Hey, hold on!

That's all right.
Just hold on, hold on.

Don't look down.

It's okay, I'm not gonna hurt you.

I want you to reach in
and I want you to grab

that bar from that... yeah.

Okay.

Okay, okay. I got you.

I got you.

Hey, look, you okay?

This is a legit business!

Good customer!
Many cops, they tell you!

You can call them at the precinct.

- Hey.
- Where you take us now?

- You hungry?
- Uh-huh.

- I'm okay, I'm fine.
- Good.

You feel like talking?

Good catch.

You know the Chinese proverb, right?

"You save a life,

you're responsible for that life."

So we arrested four johns.

They all claim
they were getting a "massage."

Tough to prove otherwise.

- Who else?
- Charlie Hu.

Bodyguard slash muscle.
Carrying an unregistered .45.

- Hey, we can work with that.
- Other guy's over here.

The mamasan, Evelyn Lee,
she's hanging tough.

No surprise there.
What about these women?

We're waiting on a translator

for the ones who don't speak English

and, uh, Kat and Rollins are with two

who speak some English.

Kat says she's not fluent,

but she does have some Cantonese,

Mandarin, and Hokkien.

Of course she does.

_

And how long have you worked
at Sweet Joy?

Last four years, different spas.

You're not in any trouble,

but I have to ask...

At the spa,

do any of the girls ever
have to give extra like sex?

No.

- No?
- No.

- I work very hard every day...
- Right,

and how much money do you owe?

Mamasan say when done.

I paid for brother too.

Where is your brother?

San Francisco.

He study engineering.

Very smart.

I tell Henry

I teach Chinese to U.S. kids.

He cannot know.

Cannot know.

But my English okay.

I watch "Days of Our Lives," "Friends."

So all of you live there in the parlor?

Mamasan say,

"New York expensive."

So what happens to the money you make?

Mamasan keep massage money.

What about the tips
for all of the extra?

Mamasan keep that too.

I must pay or they hurt my family.

Illegal gun, that's four years.

- That's a piece of cake.
- So what's up, man?

You wanna tell us about Sweet Joy?

It's a massage parlor.

So what?

Talk, no talk.

I get locked up, sent back either way.

So...

no talk.

- No speak English.
- Please stop.

I'm looking at your record.

You've been here for 30 years
and this is your tenth arrest.

So I'm not buying it.

Ten arrests, no conviction.

Charges always drop.

I run legal massage business.

Where your workers are forced

to perform illegal sex services.

I take care of my girls.

Like a mother.

Food, medicine,

cake for birthday.

No force.

Force is, uh, hit, starve.

Is that what happened to you?

You know, if you really cared

about these girls,

you would help me find the people

that are running them and running you.

Ms. Lee, you're in a lot of trouble.

"Trouble"?

We both know your UCs can't unzip,

so your case gonna go south.

I call my legal aid lawyer, make bail.

I'm back in business by the weekend.

You know, you look like you are
under a lot of stress.

Need massage.

Come by. On the house.

We all have our own jobs.

I do mine.

Why didn't you do yours?

You barely search Sweet Joy.

We swept that place room by room.

Mamasan...

Sees more than you.

Beast with nine eyes.

Your problem?

You look...

but you don't see.

Condoms, lube.

You know how many
massage parlors I've raided?

What's the point?

We're looking for the beast
with nine eyes.

Come on, man, you already know

the girls won't talk...

the johns won't talk.

Charlie talked.

What's that?

Smoke detector.

One in each room.

These people seem interested
in worker safety to you?

Surveillance cameras
in the smoke alarms.

All nine rooms. Mamasan's nine eyes.

Not security for the girls?

No, to keep an eye on the cash.

TARU went through the servers.

It turns out the cameras were routed

to Mamasan's nail salon
across the street.

I went through some of it.

It's... it's pretty ugly.

Each woman services
over a dozen men a day.

Um, I found this in there.

Okay, turn that off.

That's rape.

- Mm-hmm.
- Who is she?

This is Mei Mei. I... I spoke with her.

She didn't say one word about this.

Of course she didn't.
She's scared of Mamasan.

So... bring Mei Mei in

and let her know that if she helps us,

we will take Mamasan down.

If you could just tell us who this is.

Hmm?

Bad egg.

Don't know name.

Loud, do anything he want.

Last week was my turn.

When does he-he usually show up?

- After work?
- No, he have no job.

He used to come with friend.

Now just alone.

Wait.

He come in on Sunday.

He say we're his special hangover cure.

Mamasan say let him do what he want.

"What he wants"?

Lily...

Did he rape you?

No.

He rough, but...

Mamasan say on the house

because he have...

Connections?

To who?

I don't know.

Must be very high rank

for Mamasan not to take money.

And they know nothing about him?

Just that he sweats gin

and has enough hooks
to get a free pass.

So we lean on Mamasan.

Charge her with aiding and abetting

unless she gives him up.

She won't.

She lets him rape her girls.

He's too connected
for her to turn on him.

Mamasan knows the game.

She told me she'd be out on bail

and open for business by the weekend,

and she's probably right.

Maybe that's not such a bad thing.

I mean, Mei Mei said
that he's a Sunday regular,

so maybe we just let her reopen.

It's worth a shot,
but this guy's connected.

Is he really gonna talk?

A piece of crap like that?

He'll flip to save his own ass.

He Tom.

Bad back. Just want massage.

But most clients...

Like Mamasan say:
"Money talkie."

There he is.

Mr. Bad Egg.

Eyes on target. Approaching entrance.

Light hair, blue cardigan.

Oh, he gonna be surprised.

That's not rape.

These girls get paid
to do what clients ask.

You don't pay them a dime.

I'm comped. It's part of the deal.

Part of the deal
you and your friend have?

Yeah.

Yeah, like you'd rent a space
to a restaurant.

- You eat for free.
- Oh, okay.

So this all on the up-and-up.

So I need to confirm with your friend.

What's his name?

Uh, tell you what:
I want a lawyer.

So what do we have on this creep?

Theo Pappas, 30.

No record, no job.

And no idea who the friend is.

Some guy who rents out the space.

Okay, are we any closer
to tracing the leasing agent?

On all four parlors that we raided,

it's just a firewall of LLCs

from the Caymans to Korea to Hong Kong.

So Theo is all we have.

Mei Mei and Lily ID'd him.
Will she testify?

Rollins took Mei Mei to a
shelter, she's shaky.

And Lily?

She went back to the massage parlor,

but she's feisty.

She wants to do this.

Set up a meet away from the spa.

- Walk her in.
- Okay.

_

I cannot do more.

I have to go back to work
to make money.

I have to...

pay back every week
or they hurt my brother.

If you testify against Theo

and he turns against the owners,

we could put them all away.

That is a good dream, Ms. Amanda...

But it's not a come-true dream.

I stay here tonight.

Get rest.

Then go back to spa.

You don't have to do that.

Nothing can be done.

Sorry I am late!

Mamasan ask many question.

I tell her my legal aid lawyer
need to see me.

That's good, Lily.

After the grand jury,
we'll get you housing.

But after I testify, Mamasan in jail.

Everything good.

I start new life.

Charlie get out too, right?

Let's take it one step at a time.

- You ready?
- Piece of cake.

What Charlie say.

So big.

Never been here before?

Never been anywhere.

Just spa to spa.

But after today,

I free as a bird.

Come on.

I have a grand jury waiting.

And they just texted,

- and they're on their way.
- Yeah, they'd better be.

Mei Mei backed out,

same as the two workers
from the Yorkville spa.

You still have Theo's assault video.

Yeah, without Mei Mei supporting it.

Enough for an indictment.

And Theo? Two hours in Rikers,

he'll wet the bed.

Captain?

Lily.

I'm Captain Benson.

The big boss.

Thank you, Lily, so much
for doing this.

Oh.

Okay, Lily, you ready?

Everything okay?

Yeah, yeah. Uh, can I use bathroom?

Show you where it is.

Lily?

Lily, everything okay in here?

Somebody call 911!

- What happened?
- Did you see it?

This is Officer Kat Tamin,
SVU portable.

I need a bus to 60 Center Street.

We've got a jumper down.

SVU, copy that. 60 Center Street.

Mei Mei?

Mamasan pay for funeral,

but no one come.

I'm sorry, Mei Mei.

Lily very good person.

All the time, she make us smile.

She very brave.

She must be very scared if she jump.

She was threatened.

Do you... you know who this is?

Lily mother.

Mamasan do this.

Mamasan know where all parents are.

So will you help us?

You can testify against Theo,
against Mamasan...

No!

No, I can't.

They hurt my family.

Mei Mei...

is there anything that you can tell us?

If Charlie there,
he no let this happen.

Why not?

Charlie love Lily.

They saving up.

He help pay off debt,

then run away so no one find them.

Lily would never jump.

You push her.

No, not us, Charlie.

Lily's mom.

Who did this? Mamasan?

I don't know.

Yes, you do.

Lily was gonna testify against the guy

who roughed her up, who raped Mei Mei.

It all happened on your watch, Charlie.

Now, this guy...

he shows up Sunday morning

for his hangover.

He'd never rape Lily.

The other girls?

- I couldn't stop that.
- Why?

Because he has...

You can stop it now, Charlie.

We know his friend's connected
to the building.

Who is he?

I don't know his name.

They kill your girl and
you're still protecting them?

No, no name.

Old school.

I text his pager, meet him once a week,

give him cash.

Okay, so we get you
your phone and you text him.

Okay.

Doesn't matter.

Lily, did she get a funeral?

_

Turkey's landing.

Hey! You Charlie friend?

Ah, good to see you!

Come, come!

Who are you?

Charlie no can come today,
but Mamasan send me.

I have a special delivery

- for you.
- Okay, whoa,

are you an idiot?
Don't do it like that.

Just... all right,
just give me the cash.

Sorry.

Go away.

- No, no, no, you go.
- Okay.

- Excuse me?
- Hi.

Uh, my friend and I were wondering

if you would settle a bet for us?

Uh, for the two of you,
I would be happy to.

What... what can I do for you?

Okay, she said that
you would rather be cuffed

and I said,

you would rather walk to
the car and get in the back.

I don't know...

Yeah, I never saw that guy
before today.

Uh, he beeped you,
you came from your office,

and you took a bag.

I thought it was a food delivery.

Then why'd you say, "Give me the cash"?

- You heard that?
- Mm.

If I could interject.

Mr. Olin is a real estate broker.

He was merely collecting rent.

$15,000 in small bills?

Mr. Olin acts as a broker
for his father's company

renting to legitimate businesses.

If these business illegally sublet...

- Eh.
- I got it.

When Rick visits Sweet Joy,
it's just for his own release?

I have some back problems.

One of these girls get the kink out?

Yeah, that's kind of a perk.

This is ludicrous.

These aren't even victimless crimes.

I make one call to the DA's
office, this all goes away.

"Victimless"?

You know this guy?

That's Theo, we uh...
we play squash together.

Yeah, you know he assaults women?

- How could Rick know that?
- Because Theo told us

that Rick told him:
"Do whatever you want to them."

"It's on the house."

I don't need to do that.

These chicks... a guy like me
walks in the room,

they're, like, really happy.

Rick, basta.

Detectives, at this juncture,
let me make a phone call.

My first set of kids,
they turned out fine,

but Ricky, he's a little dim.

But he's no criminal.

Let's agree to disagree, Mr. Olin.

Your son is looking at

conspiracy to rape and sex trafficking.

What, so he got a few
freebie, uh, happy endings?

I told him to slow that down,

but how is that sex trafficking?

He's on camera,

taking cash from somebody,

that he thought was
the parlor's bag man.

What "bag man"?

- It's rent.
- Oh, it's rent.

So you... you know about the payments.

So if we go through your
books, we're gonna see

$15,000 a week in cash rent?

Ricky might be behind in the paperwork.

I don't think you understand
what we're saying.

You know your son's friend Theo?

Rick gave him permission,

to do anything he
wanted to those women,

including rape.

So in answer
to your question, Mr. Olin,

that is how
we get to conspiracy to rape

and sex trafficking.

You're talking to me
because you want something.

I'm a great deal-maker.

So let's talk.

Good.

So we know that you rent out

at least 11 of the buildings
that you manage

to these spas.

So these spas are all connected.

But the women are debt slaves.

They get moved around

from one to the other to the other.

That I can't speak to.

What can you speak to?

How about the syndicate
behind the whole operation?

Here's where we stop.

You want Mr. Olin's
cooperation, simple.

Your boss guarantees no charges

will ever be filed against Rick Olin.

Snakeheads smuggle girls from China,

charge the family
with insurmountable debt.

Which the girls are forced to pay off

doing sex work at massage parlors.

Yes, we all know how this works,

and we're no longer
supposed to arrest the girls,

so the cycle never ends.

Which is why we're working
our way to the top.

Avi Olin, him,

he holds leases on a
dozen slum buildings

housing massage parlors.

You dug him out behind his LLCs?

- He got sloppy?
- No, his son did.

We got him on a rape charge.

Yeah, and to keep his son
out of prison,

Avi has given us
Arthur and Christine Chang.

You do know the Changs
are one of Park Avenue's

most prominent power couples?

Hospital and museum boards,
Asian charities.

The classic
Chinese-American success story,

except they're also sex traffickers.

Avi Olin has agreed to testify

that the Changs are behind
every shadow spa company,

that he leased to.

And the Changs will argue
Mr. Olin cut a deal

to save his son.

Even if they do own the parlors,

how can we prove they know
what goes on inside?

Ms. Hadid, what do you mean?

Hard evidence that they're
behind the trafficking,

or this is a no-go.

_

I never meet these people.

I'll buy that,

but you do know them by name. Chang,

Christine and Arthur, right?

They own the spa and many others.

They supply the girls.

No.

Girls show up, need work, I give work.

Massage. Massage very good...

Stress, I know, I know.

You know what's stressful?

Prison.

And I know that you're out
on bail now...

But you're looking at sex trafficking,

abetting rape.

"Rape"? No.

- My girls would tell me.
- Stop.

We have your own surveillance video.

You knew what was going on.

You allowed it to happen.

And when Lily was going to testify,

you threatened her family,
and that's why she jumped.

I am so sorry... she died.

Lily was like daughter to me.

But not like your real daughter.

The one in China, Jia.

She's good girl.

She know nothing about this.

Oh, she's a good girl and she's...

a smart girl, from what I understand.

She just got accepted into U.C. Davis.

What do you know about that?

I know that universities
don't like bad publicity...

and I know that
they don't accept tuition

paid for by sex traffickers.

She get accepted on her own.

No...

- No backdoor.
- That won't matter.

They find out about you,

they won't take Jia.

No.

You've worked hard your whole life

so Jia would have the break

that you never did.

But I pick up the phone

to the dean of admissions of Davis...

That all goes away.

What do you want?

I want, you to tell me

about the Changs.

Where do they get the girls?

Where do they get the money?

Not from Rick Olin.

No.

He take money for rent

to grease building inspector,
politicians.

But the real money...

we pay to mai-mai ren.

The "buy-sell man."

So an intermediary.

And what's his name?

Lester Ping.

He run World Wide China Travel Agency.

I see him once.

He help fancy lady
get out of fancy car.

NYPD, hands up.

- Move away from your desks.
- NYPD, hands up.

- Keep your hands up.
- Back away from your computer.

Nobody move!

- Let me see your hands!
- Up against the wall!

Hands up!

Sergeant.

Everybody, hands where we can see them.

- Hands up.
- Hands up!

Move away from the desks!

- Nobody move!
- Step away from the tables.

- Gotta get down.
- Don't move.

- Get him out of here.
- Up against the wall.

Everybody up against the wall.
Back away from the desks!

- Chin.
- Dates, names, amounts.

Villages in China.

Captain, we just broke
into the Chang's Iron Mountain.

We'll need more forensic accountants.
Look at this.

Okay, what about an arrest
warrant for the Changs?

I'll call my new best friend, Hadid.

Here I was in mei guo,

the beautiful country,

but life...

was not so beautiful.

It was hard.

So hard.

I knew then if I made it...

when I made it...

I would help immigrants like me.

By trafficking them into slavery.

This is why my husband and I

have devoted our lives

to the bettering
of our Chinatown community.

Let's do this.

Let the old man take his bow.

Christine and Arthur Chang...

NYPD, you're under arrest.

Sex trafficking?

That cannot be.

My husband and I
only own legitimate businesses.

Restaurants, travel,

real estate, import-export, hotels.

And, uh, transportation, right?

The Silver Rabbit Bus Line?

Yes, uh, very successful.

We started this because we have
so many restaurants.

We needed to transport our workers.

Other bus lines charge too much, but...

Our Chinatown busses
became very popular.

Okay, Mrs. Chang, we read the articles.

Thank you very much.

And we also know
that you use the bus lines

to transport girls

from one massage parlor to another

under armored escort.

To protect them.

No, no, it's so they don't run away.

They are freelance.

They want to work for us.

They want to perform sexual services

a dozen times a day six days a week

while you take away their pay?

- I know nothing about that.
- How dare you?

The Changs among
the most well-respected

business leaders in New York.

- Okay.
- These are wild, baseless,

and frankly offensive accusations.

Offensive? Yeah.

Baseless? No.

In addition to trafficked sex workers,

a mamasan,and a bag man,

your lead CPA, Lester Ping,
has agreed to cooperate.

Lester, he's only our travel agent.

Well, you should have paid him more.

He's still walking
our forensic accountants

through your maze of money laundering.

Smuggler pay-offs, bribery,

fraud, embezzlement.

From here to Guangdong.

The Changs know nothing of any of this.

- Really?
- Is that true, Mrs. Chang?

Because in your home village...
Dalang...

six girls were smuggled out last year.

Let me ask you a question,
Mrs. Chang...

Did the mothers know

what you forced the girls to do
to pay off the debt?

- These criminals...
- Enough!

When I was growing up,

the Cultural Revolution
was ruining China.

My parents were doctors.

They were arrested

for practicing
Western bourgeois medicine.

Sent to the countryside...

For "reeducation."

My sister and I...

no one would talk to us

because our parents were criminals.

And no food to eat...

No place to sleep.

That doesn't justify what you did...

- Please, please!
- To those girls.

And then a man helped me

to come over.

He helped me to get over here.

I came with nothing.

A-and what can a girl do, huh?

With no education, no resources.

You can guess.

I promised myself if I could,

I would help other girls escape,

and I would.

I have helped hundreds,

thousands of girls make their way here.

But...

In...

my zeal to help others

down the golden path...

My path has deviated.

And for this...

I must atone.

You got the Changs to agree

to plead guilty to sex trafficking?

And extortion and money laundering.

She just... she just confessed.

- Why?
- Because she's guilty.

Also, I think she's worried
about her husband.

He's old, he's frail.

The deal is that he knows nothing.

All right, I'll take it.

She's a big fish. Reel her in.

_

Christine Chang, how do you plead?

At this time, Your Honor...

Excuse me, Your Honor.

Mark Sullivan,
Southern District of New York.

I have an arrest warrant
for Christine Chang

on federal charges.

- Approach.
- Objection, Your Honor.

- We had no knowledge of this.
- We have a plea deal in place.

Not anymore.

This case has
international implications.

We've requested the suspension
of the state's case

to investigate and prosecute
with global disposition.

The DA has agreed to allow us
to take the lead on this.

Your Honor, this is...

It's out of my hands, Mr. Carisi.

The state's case is hereby suspended.

I am releasing Christine Chang
to federal custody.

Bailiff?

Better luck next time, Counselor.

What the hell was that?

The feds can't just waltz
in here and take our case.

They can, they did.

Evidently my boss has signed off on it.

Changs cut a backdoor deal
with the DOJ.

No, we had them.

International sex trafficking,
money laundering.

They trumped that.

National security, intel on China.

Whatever it is, we'll never know.

That's why she confessed so easily.

She had this in her back pocket.

I don't think so.
Her confession was sincere.

Either way... it never happened.

So, what?

"Forget it, Jake, it's Chinatown"?

Did you know this was coming?

No, I give you my word.

The DA didn't even give me
the courtesy of a heads-up.

I'm sorry.

You did the best you could.

Yeah, thank you.

So Carisi says that we lost the Changs.

- What?
- The feds took the case.

- Did he say why?
- Apparently they didn't have to.

We knew those two were connected.

What about the rape case
against Theo and Rick?

Theo pled guilty.

Uh, they're asking the judge
for seven years.

And Rick, they're still negotiating.

You mean he's gonna get off.

Kat, why don't you punch out?

She's not gonna last here.

Hold on, Fin.

The girl that she was
supposed to be protecting

jumped out a window.

That's not her fault.

Well, she doesn't believe that.

I still don't understand.

Bad lady don't go to jail?

The federal government has her now.

They decide.

Either way, you won't have to worry

about your debt anymore.

Mrs. Chang has agreed
to pay off the smugglers.

You're free.

To do what?

Mei Mei, we talked to your brother.

- Did you tell him what I do?
- No, no.

Just that you were working...

to pay off the money your
family owed to the smugglers

and that we busted that ring.

He'd like to talk to you.

- Henry?
- Mei Mei.

I'm so sorry.
I didn't know about the debt.

I want you not to worry. It's okay.

So you can study and be big success.

I'm almost graduated.

Come out and live with me...

In San Francisco.

I already bought a plane ticket.

What we do?

Take care of each other.

Like the broken plate...

when Mom was so mad at us.

You say you broke it,

I say I broke it, but it was Father.

Wo ai ni.

Wo ai ni.

See you soon.

Thank you, Mr. Dominick.

I know what the Chinese proverb say,

but you save me twice now.

You can rest.

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