MAYS LANDING, NJ – October 12, 2026 (STL.News) A New Jersey massage parlor is facing renewed scrutiny after police raided the business for the second time in seven months, arrested a New York resident on a prostitution-related charge and seized approximately $10,000 in cash reportedly concealed inside a ceiling.
The latest investigation involves Waterfall Therapy, a massage business located at 4450 Black Horse Pike in the Festival at Hamilton shopping center in Mays Landing, Atlantic County.
According to the Township of Hamilton Police Department, officers executed a court-authorized search warrant at approximately 9 a.m. Thursday, October 8, following an ongoing investigation into allegations of prostitution-related activity at the establishment.
Police arrested Jianhong Li, 54, of Flushing, New York, and charged Li with promoting prostitution.
The arrest follows an earlier police operation at the same business on March 11, 2026, when two women were arrested on prostitution-related charges.
Repeated enforcement actions have raised questions about how a business suspected of illegal activity could keep operating after an earlier police investigation and whether it needs additional regulatory or property-management intervention.
New Jersey – Police Discover $10,000 Hidden in Ceiling
During the October 8 operation, investigators reportedly searched Waterfall Therapy and discovered about $10,000 in cash concealed above a drop ceiling.
NBC10 Philadelphia reported the discovery, citing police body-camera footage showing officers entering the establishment and making the arrest.
Investigators also reported finding items they considered inconsistent with operating a legitimate massage or bodywork establishment.
The specific evidentiary significance of those items has not been fully detailed publicly.
Authorities have not announced whether the seized money represents proceeds from alleged illegal activity, nor has a court determined the origin of the cash.
The seizure nevertheless marks a significant development in the investigation, particularly because officers had already searched the same establishment earlier this year.
Li’s arrest is the latest known criminal enforcement action involving the business.
The precise procedural status of Li’s case, including any subsequent court appearance, was not established in the reporting available as of October 12.
New Jersey – Previous Raid Resulted in Two Arrests
The latest investigation follows a March 11 police operation at Waterfall Therapy that resulted in the arrests of two women.
Police identified the individuals as Cuie Chen, 50, and Wen-Juin Zhou, 60.
Both were charged with third-degree prostitution and third-degree conspiracy to commit prostitution, according to reporting published following the March investigation.
The women were released on summonses.
The March operation followed what police described as a lengthy investigation into allegations of prostitution at the establishment.
The Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office and New Jersey State Police assisted local authorities during that investigation.
Although the March arrests represented a significant enforcement action, the business apparently did not remain closed.
Hamilton Township Police Detective Erich Thumhart told NBC10 Philadelphia that investigators initially believed the first search warrant would end the alleged activity.
Instead, according to the detective, the establishment appeared to resume normal operations approximately one week later.
The continuation of business operations eventually led to another investigation and the October 8 search.
No publicly verified final disposition of the March criminal charges was established for this report.
New Jersey – Police Question Continued Operations
The circumstances surrounding the second raid have prompted questions about the limits of criminal enforcement when businesses remain open after prostitution-related arrests.
Police said they tried to coordinate with county and state agencies after the earlier investigation.
Nevertheless, authorities opened another criminal inquiry into the property.
The situation illustrates the difference between arresting individuals suspected of criminal activity and obtaining the legal authority to close a business or prevent it from reopening.
A criminal arrest does not automatically require an entire business to permanently cease operations.
Depending on the circumstances, authorities may need additional administrative proceedings, licensing action, property-related enforcement, or court orders.
The repeated investigations at Waterfall Therapy demonstrate the practical difficulties law enforcement agencies face when trying to address alleged illegal activity at an established commercial location.
However, two police raids alone do not establish that the business or any individual has been convicted of a crime.
New Jersey – Business Advertisements Draw Attention
The business’s online advertising has also attracted attention.
According to NJ.com-related regional reporting and New Jersey 101.5 coverage of the March investigation, Waterfall Therapy’s website and online business listing included language advertising massages with a “happy ending,” a phrase sometimes associated with sexual services.
Similar language reportedly remained visible online after the October enforcement action.
Such advertisements may provide investigative leads, but their presence does not independently prove that a particular employee committed a criminal offense.
NBC10 Philadelphia reported that a person associated with the business disputed the allegations after investigators contacted them following the latest raid.
An employee reached by telephone maintained that Waterfall Therapy provided massages rather than sexual services.
That denial is relevant because the allegations remain subject to the criminal justice process.
Investigators must establish the elements of any charged offense through admissible evidence, and defendants retain the right to contest the government’s allegations.
New Jersey – Investigators Examine Possible Human Trafficking Links
Another important aspect of the investigation involves whether the alleged prostitution-related activity has connections to human trafficking.
NBC10 Philadelphia reported that detectives were examining possible links to trafficking operations and attempting to determine who controlled or owned the establishment.
Police reportedly struggled to identify the business’s ownership structure.
Those inquiries could become significant if investigators discover evidence connecting the operation to other individuals or establishments.
However, no human trafficking charge arising from the October 8 raid has been confirmed in the available reporting.
It is important to distinguish prostitution-related allegations from human trafficking.
Under federal law, sex trafficking generally involves commercial sexual activity induced through force, fraud or coercion, or commercial sexual activity involving a minor.
An allegation of prostitution does not automatically establish human trafficking.
Investigators examining potentially exploitative commercial operations may look for evidence of coercion, restricted freedom, threats, financial control, or other circumstances suggesting that individuals are being compelled to participate.
Whether any such circumstances existed at Waterfall Therapy remains unresolved publicly.
The investigation therefore should not be characterized as a confirmed trafficking operation without additional evidence.
New Jersey – Neighboring Businesses Express Concerns
Repeated police activity has also drawn attention from neighboring businesses in the Festival at Hamilton shopping center.
NBC10 Philadelphia interviewed William Brown, general manager of the neighboring NurturePet store, who questioned why the massage establishment remained in the shopping center following the first investigation.
Brown said he hoped the property’s landlord would address the situation.
The television station also said it contacted the shopping center’s ownership company but had not received a response by its reporting deadline.
The landlord’s knowledge of the allegations, any lease enforcement measures, and the extent of its authority over the tenant have not been independently established.
Those distinctions matter because a business accused of criminal activity does not automatically establish wrongdoing by a commercial landlord.
Nevertheless, repeated police operations at the same location can raise concerns among neighboring merchants about customer perceptions, public safety, and a shopping center’s reputation.
The situation also raises broader questions about communication among police, local licensing authorities, property owners, and businesses when they investigate suspected illegal operations.
New Jersey Faces Broader Enforcement Challenges
The Waterfall Therapy investigation highlights the challenges of regulating massage establishments while protecting legitimate businesses and individuals who may be vulnerable to exploitation.
Licensed massage therapy is a legitimate health and wellness profession, and the overwhelming majority of massage practitioners should not be associated with criminal allegations simply because authorities investigate an individual establishment.
Effective enforcement requires distinguishing legitimate therapeutic services from activities that may violate criminal or professional regulations.
In New Jersey, massage and bodywork professionals operate under a state regulatory framework that sets professional standards and protects consumers.
Criminal investigations, however, involve separate questions about whether specific individuals have violated state law.
The two systems can overlap when police uncover suspected illegal activity at a business offering massage services.
An investigation may involve criminal charges against individuals, regulatory questions about professional credentials and potential action affecting the business itself.
Those proceedings do not necessarily occur simultaneously.
The repeated raids in Mays Landing show why cooperation among law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, and regulatory authorities matters.
Why Repeated Raids Raise Questions
The central issue emerging from the Waterfall Therapy investigation is not simply that police conducted two searches.
Authorities returned to the same commercial location about seven months after an earlier investigation produced arrests.
The timeline raises several unanswered questions.
Did the business change its operating practices after the March arrests? Were authorities able to establish who controlled its operations? What administrative or regulatory remedies were available following the first search? And could additional enforcement measures prevent further suspected violations?
Those questions cannot be answered conclusively from the currently available public reporting.
Police have indicated that their investigation is continuing, leaving open the possibility of additional findings or charges.
At the same time, the case illustrates the importance of ensuring that enforcement measures are supported by evidence and comply with applicable legal procedures.
Repeated allegations may justify continued investigation, but criminal liability must still be established individually.
Investigation Remains Ongoing
As of October 12, 2026, the confirmed developments include two police searches of Waterfall Therapy during 2026, three reported arrests across the investigations, and approximately $10,000 seized during the latest operation.
The March investigation resulted in prostitution and conspiracy-related charges against Chen and Zhou.
The October investigation resulted in a prostitution-promotion charge against Li.
Authorities have not publicly established, in the reporting reviewed, whether additional arrests are imminent or whether the business will face permanent closure.
Investigators are also examining possible connections to other individuals or operations, including potential trafficking concerns.
For now, the case remains an active criminal investigation involving repeated allegations at the same New Jersey business.
Further developments will depend on the evidence investigators gather, prosecutorial decisions, and any subsequent court proceedings.
Legal notice: All criminal charges described in this report are allegations. The individuals charged are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. The reported investigations do not establish that human trafficking occurred, and no trafficking conviction or charge has been confirmed in connection with the latest raid.
