Massage Business Loses License After Police Investigation

Last month an officer with Plymouth Police's Special Investigations Unit discovered an ad for a massage services online for a female who: “...was beautiful/sexy but classy vixen Asian therapist who loves what she does.”

The advertisement (attached to this post) stated the masseuse was working out of the "Fernbrook Lane Highway 55 area," and when the officer contacted the female in the ad she said she had an immediate opening and gave the exact address for Herbal Wellness Spa at 3165 Fernbrook Lane.

According to city documents, an undercover officer went to the Spa that same day, met the woman in the advertisement who called herself "Christina" and was told a one-hour massage would cost $120. He paid her cash and asked if there was an "up-sale for additional services and how much it would be." The woman said she'd go topless for an additional $40. 

When the officer paid the additional money she began to take her top off and he signaled for an arrest. The woman's driver's license showed she had also given the officer a false name and she did not have a massage therapist license for the state or city. She told police she'd been working there for about a month and spoken to the owner to get the job.

The city has since revoked the business license for Herbal Wellness. Owner Liming Long has requested an appeal process and will go before the Plymouth City Council during a public hearing at its Sept. 10 meeting and ask for the revocation to be lifted in order  to resume her business. Liming was granted a license from the city to run her business in May.

Liming wasn't at the Spa when the employee was arrested. In her appeal letter to the city, Liming wrote she wanted to help out the woman who needed money to support her family and let the arrested woman rent a room at the Spa since her "massage house" in Minneapolis was being repaired.

Police report that Long admitted she knew the arrested woman was not licensed through her business and that prior to the arrest they were open for business, but it was discovered that there were no licensed staff members on site. Additionally, it was discovered that employees were living at the business site, according to the city.

Liming wrote in her letter that she invested $15,000 into the Spa and had borrowed most of it from friends, she has a three-year signed lease for the space and monthly $2,000 rent.

"If the business cannot be reopened, I don't know how I will survive," Liming wrote. "I am sorry I did not strictly comply with relevant codes about [my] massage profession."

She is willing to accept penalties for what happened, but needs to continue running her business, Liming wrote.

Liming concluded that she promises to abide by all relevant regulations, rules and codes in the future.

The case will be heard at the Sept. 10 public hearing during the regular Plymouth City Council meeting when the council may or may not make a decision regarding the revoked license for Liming's business.

The direction from staff is to have the City Council direct the City Attorney to prepare findings of fact in revoking the massage therapy center license for Herbal Wellness Spa for the Tuesday, Sept. 24, council meeting.

No decision has been made by the Council prior to its Sept. 10 meeting.

(Information provided by the city of Plymouth.)