Griffith revokes business license for spa over prostitution, human trafficking investigation - Chicago Tribune

[Jim Masters]

The Griffith Town Council has revoked the license of a local massage business that it alleged was offering sex acts to male customers in exchange for money.

The Town Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to revoke the license of All Essence Spa, 821 W. Glen Park Ave., and also denied the petition for a new license by a petitioner named Sunlight LLC, which recently took over the location.

Attorney Jose Vega led the public hearing on the matter, questioning Det. Jacob Schoon about what he had learned during his investigation of the massage business. Schoon said that the Griffith police had received a tip in January that the windows of the business were blocked and an all-male clientele was seen going in and out of the establishment.

In April, Griffith police set up video surveillance of the business, observing the male being clientele welcomed inside but that any females who entered the establishment quickly exited, Schoon said.

Griffith police subsequently received court permission for a “trash pull.” Examining the dumpster used by the business over a seven-day period, police collected approximately 50 used condom wrappers, Schoon testified. Then, in May, Griffith police checked state databases and found that there was no existing record of All Essence Spa.

On Sept. 3, Griffith police sent an undercover officer into the massage business and was able to negotiate a price in exchange for a sex act to be performed by one of the female workers, according to Schoon. At that point, a female employee working inside the business was taken into custody.

Griffith police Det. Commander Jim Sibley told the Post-Tribune that the woman has not been charged and that she is the subject of an active investigation into possible human trafficking. He said the woman was interviewed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and her involvement continues to be explored.

Sibley identified the owner of All Essence Spa as Todd Jurich of Chicago, Illinois. He said Jurich has not been charged with a criminal offense, but is under investigation by local, state and federal officials. He was unaware if Jurich had been operating massage businesses elsewhere, and said the individual is no longer involved in All Essence Spa, although the sign outside had not changed.

Yidi Ming, who said she resided in the 1300 block of Brandywine Drive in Munster, spoke on behalf of her father at the council meeting. The unidentified man in attendance was the apparently business license petitioner on behalf of Sunlight LLC, which recently took over the All Essence Spa business from Jurich.

Ming told town officials she understood “a bit” of English and her father spoke none. She acknowledged that she understood why they had been brought before the Town Council, but did verbally petition for the business license nor oppose the town’s allegations.

Vega asserted that the business violated town code regarding licensing and the alleged services offered. He said that the types of services the business listed, such as hot stone treatments and scrubs, were not being performed, that it was body messages only in addition to the alleged sex acts.

Schoon added that a subsequent search warrant recovered ledgers of apparent business transactions with “time increments” of 30 and 60 minutes listed for massage services, covering December through August 2024.

“It was no a single act, but many acts of prostitution have occurred at this business,” he said.

Councilman Jim Marker, R-1st, motioned to revoke the business license for All Essence Spa and made a second motion to deny the business license application for Sunlight LLC. Both measures passed, effectively shutting down the massage business.

Jim Masters is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.