VENTURA, Calif. — Four members of a family-run criminal enterprise have been sentenced to state prison for operating illicit massage businesses, running commercial sex operations and laundering the proceeds through financial institutions, real estate and other assets, Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced.
Read the Ventura County District Attorney release: https://da.venturacounty.gov/#docaccess-a359f3caa6cdf8c0779dc7a693d80eff
The Sentences, The Defendants, The Terms
Xiangwei Ma, identified as the head of the organization, was sentenced to 14 years and eight months in state prison, the District Attorney's Office stated.
Xiangdong Ma was sentenced to 10 years in state prison, the office stated.
Li Ma was sentenced to five years and four months in state prison, the office stated.
Ming Ma was sentenced to four years and four months in state prison, the office stated.
The four had previously been convicted by a jury of multiple felony offenses related to their roles in the criminal enterprise, the office stated.
Xiangwei Ma was convicted of pimping, mortgage fraud and nine counts of money laundering, the office stated.
Xiangdong Ma was convicted of pimping and five counts of money laundering, the office stated.
Li Ma was convicted of pimping and one count of money laundering, the office stated.
Ming Ma was convicted of pimping and two counts of money laundering, the office stated.
The charges included pimping under Penal Code section 266h(a), mortgage fraud under Penal Code section 532f(a)(1) and money laundering under Penal Code section 186.10(a), the release stated.
A fifth defendant, Jaime Calderon, previously pleaded guilty on August 11, 2023, to money laundering and was sentenced to two years in state prison, the release stated.
The Enterprise, The Investigation, The Profits
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The investigation began in 2020 after multiple law enforcement agencies received anonymous letters regarding illicit massage businesses in Ventura County, the release stated.
Investigators determined the defendants worked together to recruit and exploit women from China to work in the illicit massage businesses and live in the businesses, the release stated.
The enterprise operated multiple illicit massage businesses in Ventura County, as well as a network of businesses in other locations in California and other states, the release stated.
The investigation also uncovered efforts to conceal and move the proceeds through numerous financial transactions, real estate purchases, bank accounts and other assets, the release stated.
Xiangwei Ma had previously pleaded guilty to attempted pandering in Los Angeles County and served an 18-month state prison sentence, the release stated.
Xiangwei Ma also used other individuals as nominal or "straw" owners to conceal her involvement in businesses and real estate purchases, the release stated.
"Behind the doors of seemingly legitimate massage businesses in Ventura County was a criminal enterprise built on exploitation and greed," District Attorney Erik Nasarenko said. "Today's sentences hold these defendants accountable for profiting from the exploitation of vulnerable women and laundering the proceeds of their crimes."
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
, The Forfeiture, The Case
The District Attorney's Office has filed an asset forfeiture case related to this case, which remains pending, the release stated.
Asset forfeiture cases are civil actions separate from criminal cases, and if successful, the court can order forfeiture of assets used in or derived from criminal activity, the release stated.
The case number is 2020033841, according to the release.
The investigation was conducted by the Ventura County District Attorney's Office Bureau of Investigation, the Oxnard Police Department, the Simi Valley Police Department, the Ventura Police Department, the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, the IRS Criminal Investigation division and the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, the release stated.
Sources
Ventura County District Attorney's Office, "Four Members of Ma Family Criminal Enterprise Sentenced to Prison in Commercial Sex and Money Laundering Case," news release No. 26-161 dated November 4, 2026: https://da.venturacounty.gov/#docaccess-a359f3caa6cdf8c0779dc7a693d80eff