Woman charged with bringing in women to work as prostitutes

Federal agents have arrested a woman on a charge that she conspired to transport women from Southeast Asia to the Seattle area to work in a string of brothels.

Chomphoonut Dongird, also known as "Lisa," was indicted Wednesday by a Seattle federal grand jury on a single count of conspiracy to transport individuals in furtherance of prostitution. The indictment was unsealed following her arrest Thursday.

Dongird pleaded not guilty to the charges Friday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mary Alice Thieler, who ordered her held pending a detention hearing next week. Trial is set for Dec. 15.

The indictment says Dongird has operated a trio of brothels disguised as massage parlors in Kirkland, Bellevue and SeaTac for years, and that she has brought women from Thailand and California to work as masseuses. According to the indictment, the women were required to perform sex acts as part of their employment.

In one instance, according to the indictment, Dongird brought a woman from Thailand to the U.S. and then told her she owed $25,000 for her immigration paperwork and travel. The woman was required to work off her debt at the brothels, according to the charges.

The indictment also says Dongird arranged "sham marriages" in order to bring women into the U.S. to work at the massage parlors.

Dongird brought one woman to Seattle in 2002, where she worked as Dongird's housekeeper and as a prostitute until last month, the indictment says.

Mike Carter: 206-464-3706 or mcarter@seattletimes.com