‘Hidden in Plain Sight’: Illicit massage businesses in Oregon

Spencer Schact and Ward Jolles break down the rise of “illicit massage businesses” in Oregon—storefronts that can appear legitimate but are often tied to commercial sex, trafficking, and organized crime. They explain how these networks recruit and control vulnerable women through debt bondage, why cases are difficult to investigate and prosecute, and what warning signs can help identify suspicious locations. The episode also covers the policy fight over how communities and lawmakers can respond, plus how viewers can report concerns safely without intervening directly.

FOX 12 Beyond the Broadcast takes a deeper look at some of the reporting done by the journalists at KPTV in Portland, Oregon.