In the United States, it is not uncommon for sex trafficking operations to masquerade as legitimate massage parlors. Fortunately, corporate records and the entity’s online presence can help law enforcement and its partners distinguish between licit businesses and human trafficking fronts.
In this report, Sayari analysts use the case of South Florida massage parlor VIP Sauna to illustrate how the following three indicators can help identify possible human trafficking:
- High legal entity turnover: multiple legal entities are registered and dissolved at the same address in succession
- High related party turnover: a legal entity’s key personnel change frequently
- Atypical online presence: the company’s website and online customer reviews are unusual for the industry
Read the report to learn how open source and social media intelligence can generate new investigative leads and accelerate efforts to counter human trafficking.