Ventura County brothel ring: 4 in Ma family sentenced to prison
Ventura County family convicted in massage parlor scheme
Four family members received state prison sentences for running an illicit massage and commercial sex ring in Ventura County and laundering more than $1.25 million.
VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. - Four members of a family-run criminal syndicate have been sentenced to state prison after operating front massage businesses across Ventura County for commercial sex and laundering proceeds through real estate and financial institutions, according to the district attorney's office.
What we know:
Xiangwei Ma headed an enterprise consisting of her husband Ming Ma, brother Xiangdong Ma, sister Li Ma, and brother-in-law Jaime Calderon, officials said.
The group operated storefronts including Miracle Massage in Ventura and A+ Massage in Port Hueneme, recruiting and exploiting women from China for commercial sex over a span of more than a decade.
(L-R) Xiangwei Ma of Simi Valley, Li Ma of Oxnard, Xiangdong Ma of Hacienda Heights, and Ming Ma of Oxnard / Ventura County District Attorney's Office
The defendants concealed their illicit earnings across casinos, bank accounts, life insurance policies, and fraudulent real estate deals, such as a Simi Valley home on Crowne Oak Lane where Xiangwei Ma used Calderon as a straw buyer while remaining in the residence, officials said.
Following their convictions and admissions, all four family members received prison sentences and were ordered to forfeit more than $1.25 million in assets:
- Xiangwei Ma: 14 years and 8 months in state prison
- Xiangdong Ma: 10 years in state prison
- Li Ma: 5 years and 4 months in state prison
- Ming Ma: 4 years and 4 months in state prison
Calderon previously pleaded guilty to money laundering in August 2023 and received a county jail sentence.
What we don't know:
The court records and official statements do not disclose the exact number of women brought from China and victimized across the ten-year period.
Officials have also not clarified whether any additional properties or bank accounts linked to the syndicate remain under civil or criminal review beyond the $1.25 million forfeiture.
Timeline:
The illicit enterprise operated illicit massage fronts for more than a decade across Ventura County.
In 2020, multiple regional law enforcement agencies launched an investigation after receiving anonymous letters alleging prostitution and human trafficking at local massage parlors.
On August 11, 2023, Jaime Calderon pleaded guilty to money laundering and received a Ventura County Jail term.
Following jury convictions and formal admissions regarding organized criminal profiteering, Ventura County prosecutors announced the state prison sentences for the four primary family members on November 4, 2026.
What they're saying:
Senior Deputy District Attorney Rikole Kelly emphasized the exploitation behind the enterprise, stating, "Behind the doors of seemingly legitimate massage businesses in Ventura County was a criminal enterprise that exploited vulnerable women and generated enormous profits. These convictions send a powerful message: our communities will not be a marketplace for commercial sex, and those who profit from exploiting others will be held accountable."
District Attorney Erik Nasarenko noted the structural resilience of the syndicate.
"Their illicit massage businesses were structured to survive even after law enforcement made arrests for pimping and prostitution. The sophisticated money laundering investigation conducted by District Attorney investigators allowed us to seize the assets of their commercial sex operations and shut down the businesses for good."
What's next:
Xiangwei Ma, Xiangdong Ma, Li Ma, and Ming Ma will be transferred to the custody of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to begin serving their prison terms.
The court-ordered forfeiture will liquidate the defendants’ interests in more than $1.25 million in seized currency, accounts, and insurance assets to resolve the criminal profiteering proceedings.
The Source: This report is based on information provided by the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.