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A Ventura County jury convicted four members of the Ma family of felony offenses tied to commercial sex businesses operating behind massage establishments, the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office said September 30, 2026. The verdicts followed an investigation that began in 2020. Sentencing had not yet occurred as of October 3, 2026.

What the jury convicted each family member of

The District Attorney’s Office identified Xiangwei Ma as the head of the enterprise. The verdicts and counts reported by the office were:

Defendant Convictions reported
Xiangwei Ma Pimping, mortgage fraud, and nine money-laundering counts
Xiangdong Ma Pimping and five money-laundering counts
Li Ma Pimping and one money-laundering count
Ming Ma Pimping and two money-laundering counts

These are the convictions reported by prosecutors after the jury’s verdict; they are not sentencing outcomes.

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What investigators said the operation involved

The investigation began in 2020 after multiple law-enforcement agencies received anonymous whistleblower letters alleging prostitution and human trafficking at massage establishments, including Miracle Massage in Ventura and A+ Massage in Port Hueneme. The DA says the family ran commercial sex businesses behind the appearance of legitimate massage establishments for more than a decade.

According to the prosecution’s account, the defendants recruited and exploited women who were foreign nationals from China for commercial sex. That description reflects the DA’s account of the case; the release does not provide a fuller account of the women’s circumstances or the trial evidence.

How prosecutors described the money and property

The DA says proceeds were moved through financial institutions, life-insurance policies, casinos, and real-estate transactions. Admissions by three defendants and a jury finding as to Xiangdong Ma established a forfeiture basis for defendants’ interests in more than $1.25 million in seized currency, bank funds, and life-insurance cash values. This figure describes assets identified for forfeiture, not the operation’s total revenue.

The release cites a Simi Valley home on Crowne Oak Lane as an example of alleged ownership concealment. Prosecutors said Xiangwei Ma made conflicting statements about her employment and income connected with the property, sought a short sale, and continued living there after the sale terms required her to leave. Jaime Calderon ultimately became the listed buyer.

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Other case history and custody status

Jaime Calderon, Li Ma’s husband and a fifth defendant, pleaded guilty to money laundering on August 11, 2023, and was sentenced to Ventura County Jail, according to the DA. The office also said Xiangwei Ma had previously pleaded guilty to attempted pandering in Los Angeles County and served an 18-month prison term. Prosecutors said other family members continued operating the businesses during her incarceration, and that after release she resumed directing them while avoiding being listed as an owner or manager.

All four family members were remanded into custody after the verdicts, the DA said. As of October 3, 2026, sentencing was scheduled for October and November and had not yet been imposed:

Defendant Sentencing date listed by the DA Potential prison term listed by the DA
Xiangwei Ma October 23, 2026 17 years
Xiangdong Ma October 23, 2026 13 years
Li Ma November 2, 2026 Eight years and eight months
Ming Ma November 4, 2026 11 years and four months

The terms are potential prison exposure reported by prosecutors, not sentences already ordered. For any update after those dates, consult the court’s subsequent sentencing outcome rather than treating the scheduled dates or potential terms as final.

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What the county says it is doing beyond this prosecution

The DA’s Office says that since 2023 it has worked with Ventura Police, the Ventura County Human Trafficking Task Force, local agencies, and city governments through a Landlord Engagement Program. The program is described as educating property owners and managers, encouraging compliance with local ordinances, and pursuing legal remedies when owners allow illegal activity to continue. The release does not quantify the program’s results.

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Official statements about the verdict

Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko said: “Illicit massage businesses are often fronts for human trafficking and pimping where victims are coerced into performing commercial sex work,” District Attorney Erik Nasarenko said. “This case demonstrates our commitment to use the full weight of this office to hold these offenders accountable.” His first sentence is the prosecutor’s characterization, not a claim that massage businesses generally are illicit.

Senior Deputy District Attorney Rikole Kelly thanked jurors for their “extraordinary time, care, and hard work,” and recognized “the victim’s courage in testifying despite her fear, and the investigators whose years of persistent work brought this case to justice.” The release added: “Together, they held accountable defendants who believed they could exploit women without consequence.”

Sources

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