Finance committee revokes Korea Spa's business license after staff cites police complaints and online evidence

The Santa Fe Finance Committee voted on Feb. 9 to revoke the business license for Korea Spa, a massage business operating at 2008 Rosina Street. The action followed a quasi‑judicial cease‑and‑desist hearing in which assistant land use director Maggie Moore and Santa Fe Police Department staff described complaints, online advertisements and inspection findings that they said indicated the business was operating in a manner contrary to the public welfare.

Moore told the committee the enforcement division received a police referral and two criminal complaints alleging prostitution at the property. She said enforcement staff inspected the site on Oct. 10, 2025, and at that inspection an individual on site produced a New York State learner permit and was not a licensed massage therapist. Moore said staff repeatedly had difficulty gaining access during other inspections and that online reviews and classified listings used terms and imagery the department associates with illicit sexual services rather than legitimate massage therapy. She cited a police complaint number (2025010931) and said some of the online evidence dated from 2025 within the period the current owner appears in city licensing records.

The business owner, identified in the record as Zai Kin Wei (also referenced in the packet with variant spellings), was sworn and denied operating illicit services. Through interpreter assistance, she said she and her family are long‑time Santa Fe residents, that she intends to run a legitimate massage business, and that some online advertising may be legacy material from a previous owner and difficult to remove. She said the business employed two people at last operation and that family and health constraints sometimes limit her on‑site presence. "I would not do something like this," she said through translation, denying the allegations.

A public commenter, Johnny Lopez, testified he had received therapeutic massage from the business and disputed the online material, warning the committee that online advertisements can be false or trafficked content and that enforcement should not single out Asian‑owned parlors. Several councilors expressed concern about the human and economic impact of revocation and asked staff whether alternative penalties were available; Councilor Castro said she wished there had been an intermediate reprimand option. Staff and the city attorney's office said current code procedures for cease and desist hearings do not provide a formal intermediate penalty and that enforcement was proceeding under business license and public‑welfare provisions.

After committee deliberation the vote to revoke the business license passed by roll call. The recorded roll call shows four votes in favor and one dissent (Councilor Castro), and staff said the city attorney would finalize and sign the cease‑and‑desist order and provide it to code enforcement.

What happens next: Assistant City Attorney Ruby Cruz said she would sign the cease‑and‑desist order so code enforcement could execute closure; staff offered to meet with the owner after the hearing to explain next steps. The committee's action does not resolve any pending criminal investigations by the police; Moore and Sergeant Conklin said law enforcement will continue any separate criminal inquiries as appropriate.