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Alleged Ringleader Of Human Trafficking, Prostitution Ring Accused Of Threatening Co-Defendant

GREENSBURG (KDKA) -- A woman accused of running a human trafficking and prostitution ring in Monroeville and Murrysville is back in jail after allegedly threatening a co-defendant in the case.

Hui Xu, 44, is the alleged ringleader of the human trafficking and prostitution ring operating out of massage parlors she ran in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties.

hui xu
Hui Xu (Photo Courtesy: Washington County)

Xu was initially freed on $100,000 unsecured bond, but she is back in jail after investigators say Xu took to Facebook, threatening co-defendant Robert Yerick, who is known to Xu and those who worked for her as "The Russian."

"All of my employees treat Russian like a father, but he lied to the Attorney General. I treat Russian just like my own dad. He even be witness put me in jail. He is big liar. A beast," Xu wrote.

Xu also appealed for help to pay her mounting legal bills.

"I do not wanna die no cleaning name please someone help me I need $5000 attorney fee to fighting for this case," she wrote.

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Xu allegedly recruited young women from China to work at her chain of Tokyo Massage Parlors.

According to state investigators, once in the United States, Xu would force the women to perform sex acts on clients and live in cramped conditions constantly moving them from place to place to keep the employees from talking to each other.

Xu posted about those accusations, saying, "Why they lied everything how my business is doing prostitution and human trafficking?! It's ridiculous. Whole world running lies and coldness. God please help me."

Xu was initially in the Westmoreland County Jail after she was picked up again for the alleged revocation of her bond, but she was then moved to the Washington County Jail because her ex-husband was a Westmoreland County prison guard.

Xu's ex-husband committed suicide the same day the attorney general's office raided the massage parlors, so authorities wanted to make sure Xu was placed in a separate facility.

She will be back in Westmoreland County for her preliminary hearing on Friday.

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