On 27 March 2013, Ms Chee Mei Wong was convicted of conducting a business involving sexual servitude (formerly s270.6 of Criminal Code) and offences of allowing non-citizens to work in breach of their visa requirements (s245C of Migration Act).

Ms Wong, who called herself Yoko, was responsible for recruiting six women from Malaysia for the purpose of working at a brothel, Diamonds, in Crows Nest. The victims entered Australia on student visas arranged for them by Ms Wong and were forced to repay a debt of $5,000 for their airfares, visas and educational course enrolments. The women who knew little to no English, were not permitted to leave the brothel premises without permission until their debts were repaid and were made to work up to 20 hours a day. Using the threat of physical violence and deportation, Ms Wong forced the women to take medication to prevent them menstruating, perform unusual sex acts against their will and parade in front of customers with only numbers to identify them.

At trial, Ms Wong pleaded not guilty to the seven charges however the jury unanimously found her guilty of all charges. Ms Wong was sentenced to six years imprisonment with a minimum non-parole period of three years.

Case Citation

R v Chee Mei Wong, Unreported (NSWDC, 5 July 2013)