Spa Shuttered in Human Trafficking Investigation Fined for Failure to Carry Comp

Monday, October 30, 2017 | 0

A Northampton spa shuttered in the wake of a human trafficking investigation faces fines of more than $10,000 for labor law violations including failure to carry workers' compensation insurance and the use of unlicensed employees.

Capt. John Cartledge
(Twitter photo)

The city's Board of Health condemned The Asian Foot Spa after inspectors found evidence of people living on the premises. 

The investigation began after police learned the spa was servicing a "large volume of male customers," Capt. John Cartledge of the Northampton Police Department told MassLive.com. 

"The Northampton Police Department remains committed to identifying and preventing human trafficking in any form," Cartledge said in a statement. "We will continue our strategy of aggressively targeting these businesses, holding owners and customers accountable, and providing resources to women who are being trafficked."

The Police Department teamed up with city health and fire officials, as well as members of the Northwestern District Attorney's Anti-Crime Task Force and the Massachusetts Division of Professional Licensure, to conduct the investigation.