Linhui Yan, 60, and Yan Yang, 44, the suspects accused of operating massage parlors in Wenatchee as fronts for prostitution, have filed a lawsuit against the Columbia River Drug Task Force.
The suit, filed in Chelan County Superior Court, challenges the seizure of over $125,000 from their bank accounts, alleging a lack of notice during the forfeiture process. Yan and Yang were charged in March with leading organized crime, money laundering, and second-degree promoting prostitution.
Investigators believe the parlors were part of a larger criminal organization involved in prostitution and human trafficking. The seized assets, totaling $127,390, were taken from various bank accounts and a property in Tacoma. The task force served search warrants at two Wenatchee parlors: Lin Massage on North Mission Street and Angel Massage on North Chelan Avenue. A third parlor in Kennewick was also investigated.
Yan and Yang claim the task force failed to provide notice of seizure and unlawfully confiscated their mail, impeding their ability to correspond with banks. They seek compensation for damages sustained, the return of their property, an explanation for the seizure, and access to undisclosed discovery materials. The defendants' warrants for arrest were filed on February 28.
