CINCINNATI — Two people have been sentenced to time in prison after pleading guilty to operating an "illegal prostitution enterprise" at a massage spa in Symmes Township, Hamilton County Prosecutor Connie Pillich said Thursday.
Pillich's announcement comes after a months-long investigation into Sunflower Spa on Loveland Madeira Road.
According to Pillich, 45-year-old Yinliu Shi and 48-year-old Zhiguo Zhang were sentenced to two years in prison on charges of promoting prostitution, money laundering and telecommunications fraud.
The prosecutor's announcement said an investigation into Sunflower Spa showed the defendants accepted cash payments for "commercial sex acts inside the spa" and laundered the money, estimated at hundreds of thousands of dollars, through multiple bank accounts.
Shi also lived in a nearby apartment building with the women who worked in the spa, according to the announcement. The illegal activity began as early as June of 2023.
Hamilton County officials confirmed the spa was shutting down in December 2025 after Shi was arrested.
Pillich said a third person involved, 50-year-old Pingwei Cheng, remains wanted on a warrant. Cheng's indictment alleges three charges of promoting prostitution, one charge of money laundering and one charge of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity.
The charges against Cheng say he "knowingly established, maintained, operated, managed, supervised, controlled or had interest in a brothel or any other enterprise a purpose of which was to facilitate engagement in sexual activity for hire," according to Pillich.
