A 40-year-old Chinese woman, Zengzeng Liu, also known as ‘Bella’, has been arrested on federal charges. Authorities accuse her of trafficking women from Asia to work in a prostitution ring running in Boston apartments. A federal grand jury in Massachusetts indicted her on June 24 on four counts related to recruiting or persuading individuals for prostitution. She also faces three counts of using communications for a racketeering enterprise, according to an FBI affidavit filed this week.
Operation Unveiled
The operation was exposed in late 2025 when an FBI task force began examining advertisements on a website known for promoting prostitution. Investigators uncovered that the ads directed clients to locations in Boston’s Allston and Brighton neighborhoods. One FBI agent, posing as a customer, called the number in one ad and arranged a $600 commercial sex appointment at an Allston apartment on Gardner Street. Neighbors had previously complained about frequent male visitors to this location.
Upon arrival, a woman reportedly wearing only underwear answered the door. Once the agents identified themselves, they entered the premises. Inside, the apartment was sparsely furnished, with two bedrooms each containing a single bed, white sheets, bottles of lubricant, and rolls of toilet paper.
Network of Trafficking
A translation app helped the woman communicate with investigators. She claimed to be from Japan and said she had been sent to Boston by Liu, who she knew only as the ‘boss’. This journey began in Flushing, in New York City’s Queens borough. The ‘boss’ had arranged her travel to the Gardner Street apartment just five days before. Information regarding ‘dates’ was reportedly shared via WeChat, a popular Chinese messaging app.
The woman expected to keep part of the money earned from clients, but Asian men frequently visited the apartment to collect cash for Liu, she explained. Authorities noted that the operation primarily involved foreign nationals from Japan and Vietnam. The women reported being unable to leave the apartments during their stay.
All three women involved in the investigation said they met their recruiters through WeChat, although none of them met Liu in person.
If convicted, Liu faces a possible prison sentence of up to 20 years for each count of recruiting for prostitution. She could also receive up to five years for each racketeering-related charge.