Editor's Note: This story will be updated as new details emerge. Reports are by Mary Helen Moore, Will Greenlee, Ali Schmitz, Melissa E. Holsman and TCPalm staff. Compilation and digital presentation by Dacia Johnson.

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Details of an international human trafficking operation tied to prostitution in massage parlors in Florida and month-long investigation involving multiple law enforcement agencies unraveled over the course of several days. Here's what we know:

Feb. 19: First details released

Martin County

Officials in Martin County held a press conference Feb. 19 discussing details of a nine-month investigation into a human trafficking ring.

Two women, at least 100 men and several spas were identified as being involved in the ring according to Martin County Sheriff William Snyder.

The women, both 48, identified as managing the spas — four in Martin County and one in Jupiter — are Ruimei Li, of Jupiter, and Lixia Zhu, of Stuart.

“The tentacles of this go from here to New York to China, in Florida from here to Orange County,” Snyder said.

Snyder said the case began in July 2018 when a detective responded to a complaint from the Health Department regarding what appeared to be human trafficking at a massage parlor.

“It was clear that multiple women were working and living inside the spas. They were cooking on the back steps of the business,” Snyder said. “They were sleeping in the massage parlor on the massage tables.”

According to Snyder, details include:

Officials were in the process of seizing $2 million to $3 million in assets

The women were from China

13 Mandarin interpreters were speaking with the women

Women were being treated as victims, rather than paid sex workers

Officials followed as much as $20 million moving in and out of China

No gang affiliation, but ties to New York

Asked whether celebrities or prominent people could be involved, Snyder said, “There will be a newsmaker in this one.”

More: Illicit sex spa income funds property in Martin County, records show

Update: The sheriff's office formally seized $150,189 in currency, a condo with a market value of about $125,000 and two vehicles, a 2015 Lincoln and a 2017 Nissan.

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Indian River County

Indian River County announced a six-month investigation into “multiple massage parlor locations” on the same day. Nearly 200 individuals were charged with more than 200 counts of solicitation. Officials said more details would be released at a later date.

Feb. 20: Detailed documents obtained

Details in a 16-page affidavit obtained Feb. 20 showed Orchids of Asia Day Spa in Jupiter had online reviews identifying it in slang terms as a provider of sexual services.

Postings from February 2015 to March 2018 on a forum-based website detailed visits involving Asian women supplying sex acts, massages and body rubs for pay. Investigators found evidence of bodily fluids and got video of sex acts inside the Palm Beach County business.

Hua Zhang, 58, and 39-year-old Lei Wang were arrested in connection with the spa at 103 S. U.S. 1 in Jupiter.

Records supporting criminal charges at Orchids show an investigation began in October after Martin County sheriff’s detectives reported “they were working several cases of prostitution and possible human trafficking at Asian massage parlors in their county.”

Feb. 21: Indian River's extensive details

Officials in Indian River County released more details at a Feb. 21 news conference following their first brief announcement Feb. 19.

A health department complaint at East Sea Spa, located just outside of Sebastian, launched a Sheriff’s Office investigation in October.

An employee conducting a routine inspection reported concerns after seeing clothing, suitcases, food, bedding and other signs people were living inside.

The six-month investigation revealed human traffickers were luring vulnerable girls to massage parlors in Indian River County, where they were coerced into working as prostitutes, according to Vero Beach Police.

More:Highlights from the news conference

In September, a Vero Beach detective twice visited undercover, equipped with a camera, a recorder and cash.

Each time, he asked for a 30-minute massage, paid $50 and was escorted to a dimly lit room.

After a rubdown, his masseuse would offer various sexual favors — intercourse for $160 to $200, oral sex for $100 and stimulation by hand for $40 to $60. Each time, the detective said he was short on cash and would return.

In November, Circuit Judge Cynthia Cox approved the secret installation of surveillance cameras inside.

Between Nov. 30 and Jan. 10, police observed 140 sex acts performed for money, resulting in charges against several of the spa's employees.

Indian River County agencies issued warrants for 173 people, on charges ranging from human trafficking to racketeering to soliciting prostitution.

"These girls are there all day long, into the evening. They can't leave and they're performing sex acts," Vero Beach Police Chief David Currey said. "Some of them may tell us they're OK, but they're not. We know that… even though we may have charges on some of them, we'd rather them be victims."

More details released:

Detectives observed a manager purchasing condoms, food and water for one business.

Detectives watched multiple women with suitcases be transported to and from the spa, "for the purpose of sexual servitude," according to an arrest warrant.

Police said victims, identified in court records as Jane Does, lived inside the spas and worked as prostitutes. Some stayed for days, others for months.

None of the victims were allowed to leave on their own. They did not have their own vehicles and generally spoke Mandarin or Cantonese, not English.

Many of the victims came from China on temporary work visas, indebted to the the brokers who helped them reach America, but believing legitimate jobs awaited them.

The victims were shamed, intimidated and taught not to speak to law enforcement or immigration officials.

Bank records revealed the spa owners also paid for Backpage.com advertisements.

Feb. 22: Newsmaker identified

Jupiter Police, during a Feb. 22 news conference, named 25 men to be charged with soliciting prostitution at Orchids of Asia Day Spa in Jupiter. Of those named was New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft.

Jupiter Police Chief Daniel Kerr said police have video evidence of Kraft engaging in sex acts on two separate visits to the spa.

"We categorically deny that Mr. Kraft engaged in any illegal activity," a spokesman for Kraft said in a statement. "Because it is a judicial matter, we will not be commenting further."

Andrew Sharp, the lead detective on the case, said that Kraft was driven to the Jupiter spa on two occasions and received sex acts, which were captured by video inside the building. He declined to provide many other specifics.

Sharp indicated that Kraft paid for these acts but did not disclose how much Kraft paid, or his method of payment. He did say, however, that the "average fee" for the spa was $59 for 30 minutes and $79 for an hour.

Feb. 25: Charges filed

The State Attorney's Office in West Palm Beach held a news conference Feb. 25 and announced 25 individuals, those named by Jupiter Police on Feb. 22, were charged with solicitation of prostitution, a misdemeanor, according to State Attorney Dave Aronberg.

Of those charged was Kraft who Aronberg said visited Orchids of Asia Day Spa in Jupiter the evening of Jan. 19 and the morning of Jan. 20, the same day his team won the AFC title in Kansas City.

Update: Kraft must appear in person at the arraignment which is set for 9 a.m. March 28 in Palm Beach Gardens.

Later that day, the Law Firm of Kibbey Wagner in Stuart filed two emergency petitions with the Circuit Courts in Martin and Palm Beach counties seeking to block the release of videotapes and customer lists involving massage parlors under police investigation.

"We are seeking judicial intervention to determine what evidence is permitted to be released and to whom it should be released to," Richard Kibbey, senior partner at the law firm said in a news release.

"(The) press conference and subsequent interviews with various law enforcement officials has resulted in this case drawing national press coverage by television networks and major newspapers who distribute their papers across the country and through the internet, social media coverage, and commentary on this case is at frenzied levels due to the sexual nature of the allegations and the prominence of some of the men who are alleged to have broken the law in this case," the motion states.

Update: Thomas Baird, attorney for Jupiter police, said the department has released no video recordings.

The recordings are part of an ongoing criminal investigation and exempt from public-records law disclosures, Baird said.

On Feb. 18, as Martin County authorities were announcing multiple arrests and shuttered four day spas, the Martin County Sheriff’s Office asked Martin County Judge Darren Steele to order sealing evidence collected by investigators, including an application for a search warrant to install cameras inside the spas; the probable-cause affidavits; and “inventories and other documents” related to the investigation.

Update: Police used a fake bomb threat to clear out a Florida spa and install cameras as part of a prostitution investigation before Kraft and others allegedly visited, according to a court filing made public April 3.

Kraft’s attorneys wrote in an expanded motion to suppress the video footage that Jupiter Police Department officers “caused a phony ‘suspicious package’ warning to be issued for the spa in order to force an evacuation so the JPD could install hidden cameras inside several of its private massage rooms, as well as in the Spa’s lobby.”

The newest motion again alleges police used "allusions to human trafficking" to secure the warrant.

What about Orange County?

Orlando resident Yongzhang Yan owns Rainbow Spa in Orlando and East Spa in Winter Park. Yan also owns AA Massage in Sebastian and East Spa in Vero Beach.

Yan is married to Lanyun Ma, who was in charge of the day-to-day operations at the Vero Beach location, according to officials. Ma was charged with human trafficking, racketeering, unlawful transportation for the purpose of prostitution, deriving support from proceeds of prostitution and engaging in prostitution. Her bail was set at $155,500.

Ma is the only person, as of Feb. 26, charged with human trafficking despite multiple agencies linking the 10 spas shut down to Chinese sex trafficking.

Yan is not currently facing charges, according to Vero Beach Police, but the investigation is ongoing.

"We think that (Yan) is the person that is leading this little organization," Vero Beach Police Detective Sgt. Phil Huddy said. "We're going to do our best to find the evidence we need to link him to this and bring him to justice."

The couple's spas each generated tens of thousands of dollars per month, according to police, meaning annual revenues could have reached into the millions.

Police are now following that money, poring over records to determine what happened to it and building evidence to ultimately seize any funds they can.

It's unclear whether investigators observed sex acts at either Orlando-area spa, but the Orlando Sentinel reports both spas were shuttered.

Update: Documents released March 13 show investigators believe the two Orlando area spas shared sex workers with the other Florida massage parlors under investigation.

Vero Beach Detective Sgt. Phil Huddy said eight Asian women, described as "suspects," had been "rotated" between Vero Beach and the two Orange County spas, according to a search warrant application.

Rainbow Spa Massage: 1809-2 E. Colonial Drive, Orlando

1809-2 E. Colonial Drive, Orlando East Spa & Massage: 1410A Gene St., Winter Park

On Jan. 28 and 30, undercover investigators entered the Orlando area spas two times each.

Each time, detectives said they were massaged by young Asian women who would brush against the men's inner thighs or genitalia, then negotiate prices for sexual services, according to the search warrant application.

The detectives said the women did not cover the men's naked bodies during the massages, a violation of local ordinances and Florida statutes.

Sometimes the women would expose themselves or prompt the detectives to touch them, according to the highly detailed warrant.

A 30-minute massage at Rainbow Spa Massage cost $40 (plus a $20 tip) and added sexual services were available for $60 to $140, according to undercover agents.

At East Spa & Massage, a 30-minute massage cost $50, and additional services would cost $40 to $200, detectives reported.

Update: The spas were searched and closed on Feb. 19, but not separately investigated.

What about the victims?

In many cases, officials used the term "human trafficking" in connection with the investigations, but trafficking arrests have been limited. Investigators found evidence women were living in the spas.

Martin County Sheriff William Snyder said to bring a trafficking charge, a victim must cooperate.

“I need one of these women, under the patient and legal care of a public defender, to tell us exactly how it is that they’re coerced, what is it that keeps them from running out into the street and asking for help,” Snyder said.

Snyder said three women are in the Martin County Jail after the raids.

“We’re trying to make their life as comfortable as possible,” Snyder said of the three women in the Martin County Jail. “We’re doing everything we can to get them to take one step toward us.”

Snyder said that during an interview, one of the women said she came to the United States to work in a nail salon with a promise of high pay. She said she started in a nail salon business in Chicago a few years ago.

“After a period of time she found herself being forced into the sex trafficking,” Snyder said. “She did say that she had relatives in China who she said would be in jeopardy if she cooperated. So that’s a pretty strong case.”

Snyder said he watched the interview.

“She was overcome with emotion and broke down sobbing,” Snyder said. “It was tragic to watch, it was gut-wrenching for me.”

Snyder said she shared that a man was involved with a gun who intimated he’d use it, and that her passports were locked up.

Snyder said a Mandarin-speaking interpreter and public defender were there.

But halfway through the interview, Snyder said a Mandarin-speaking attorney showed up demanding to see her. Snyder said that attorney spoke to Zhu, and she stopped cooperating.

“It threw a chill over the entire investigative division,” Snyder said. “We realized what had happened.”

More details

Big names

Kenneth Wessel, 75, of Indian River Shores, is the president of the John's Island Foundation and a former board member of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Indian River County. He was arrested Feb. 20 and charged with soliciting prostitution. He has since been released on $1,000 bail.

Wessel resigned from the foundation Feb. 25, according to the foundation's executive director.

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft was charged with two counts of soliciting prostitution for paying for sexual services at Orchids of Asia Day Spa in Jupiter.

Update: Prosecutors in Kraft’s solicitation of prostitution case filed a notice of appeal May 17 over a Florida judge’s decision to suppress video obtained by police inside a spa Kraft allegedly visited twice in January.

An appeal by the Palm Beach County state attorney was expected after Judge Leonard Hanser’s ruling May 13 to exclude the video evidence from the Orchids of Asia Day Spa in Jupiter, along with the car stop that led to the identification of Kraft. Both are crucial to the prosecutors’ case against Kraft, who was charged with two misdemeanors in February.

The appeal will be heard by the Pam Beach County Circuit Court; no date has been set.

Update: The appeal of a Palm Beach County judge’s ruling that threw out as evidence secretly recorded video inside a Jupiter day spa visited by New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft will be decided by the 4th District Court of Appeal, according to court records.

In a one-page filing July 16, the 4th DCA, seated in West Palm Beach, agreed to accept jurisdiction to hear an appeal filed by the state related to Palm Beach County Judge Leonard Hanser, who on May 13 ruled video obtained inside the Orchids of Asia Day Spa cannot be used by prosecutors.

Billionaire equity firm owner John Childs, who lives seasonally in Indian River Shores, is wanted on a solicitation of prostitution charge, according to a warrant for his arrest. He had not been arrested as of Feb. 25.

Childs owns J.W. Childs Associates, a private equity firm based in Massachusetts. Childs resigned following the accusations, the firm announced Childs' "retirement" Feb. 25 in a press release and said he currently was not active in managing the firm before he retired.

Childs has maintained he is innocent, telling Bloomberg he was falsely accused.

Former Citigroup President John Havens, 62, is accused soliciting prostitution at Orchids of Asia Day Spa in Jupiter, according to Jupiter Police Department.

The president of Kolter Homes, Richard Covell, 55, of Singer Island, resigned after being accused of soliciting prostitution. He was arrested March 4.

During an interview with TCPalm, Covell said he resigned to focus on personal matters, and praised Kolter Homes for the work it has done, calling it "a great company."

Punishment

The soliciting prostitution charges are first-degree misdemeanors, punishable by up to a year in jail.

Florida statutes require a minimum of 10 days in jail for any offenses after the first violation. A conviction also carries the possibility of a $5,000 fine, 100 hours of community service and participation in educational programs.

State Sen. Gayle Harrell, a Republican from Stuart, believes anyone convicted of soliciting prostitution from a victim of human trafficking should be forced to spend 30 days in jail, in addition to other penalties imposed by the courts.

Harrell filed the legislation, Senate Bill 370, in mid-January — as local law enforcement officers were wrapping up their months-long investigation of day spas suspected of holding women from China in "sexual servitude."

Human trafficking and racketeering — often referred to by law enforcement as "RICO," short for Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization — are the most serious charges levied so far.

They are first-degree felonies, punishable by up to 30 years in prison. If any of the victims are found to be minors or if they are seriously physically harmed, the punishments can escalate to life sentences.

Wrongly accused

Sandipkumar Patel, 47, was arrested Feb. 25 on misdemeanor charges of use of a structure or conveyance for prostitution and soliciting prostitution.

Sheriff’s Lt. Mike Dougherty has said Patel, of Jensen Beach, was wrongly identified as having patronized Florida Therapy Spa for sex acts in Stuart on Nov. 19.

Charges against Patel were dropped in court papers filed Friday, a day after attorney David Golden entered a not-guilty plea.

Patel and his wife spoke to the media March 5 at Golden’s office in Stuart.

Patel said his friends call him Sam. He said one of his proudest moments was becoming a U.S. citizen.

He said if he does something to bring shame to his family, his daughters wouldn't be able to marry.

Another man's charges were dropped after the Indian River County Sheriff's Office revealed he was misidentified by deputies.

Jeffrey Jewett, 65, of Grant, was not the man captured on video at East Sea Spa, said Sheriff's Office spokesman Maj. Eric Flowers.

Flowers said Jewett turned himself in Feb. 22, the day after officials announced nearly 200 arrest warrants had been issued countywide in connection with three spas shut down Feb. 19.

Flowers said the vehicle driven to the spa this winter was registered to Jewett, but another similar-looking man was driving.

Deals offered

First-time offenders, such as Kraft, charged with misdemeanors have been offered pre-trial diversion deals that would ultimately lead to the dismissal of solicitation charges.

The agreement proposed by prosecutors mandates the men review the evidence and admit they would be found guilty if the case went to trial. The Wall Street Journal was the first media outlet to report the offer.

Update: Robert Kraft won't take diversion deal in sex spa case, at least for now

Video evidence

Attorneys for Kraft and more than a dozen other defendants facing charges in the Orchids of Asia Day Spa sex-for-pay case filed court paperwork March 20 asking that evidence, including videos of sex acts, not be publicly released.

Then, on March 28, Kraft's attorney Jack Goldberger filed an eight-page motion March 28 stating the video recordings are "fruits of an unlawful" search warrant.

On April 12, County Court Judge Leonard Hanser ultimately did not rule on whether to grant the protective order that attorneys for Kraft wanted to protect the release of evidence, including videos, of Kraft at the Orchids of Asia Day Spa in Jupiter.

More:Police snuck cameras into massage parlors years before Robert Kraft charged with soliciting prostitution

Then, on April 23, Hanser ruled that footage of Kraft’s visit to a Florida massage parlor will not be released to the public until after the New England Patriots owner’s trial is underway or the case is otherwise adjudicated. Hanser wrote in his 10-page decision that “making these images public, at this time, seriously jeopardizes Defendant’s fundamental right to a fair and impartial jury.”

Saying he would "piggyback" on Hanser's earlier order that protected the release of videos depicting Kraft getting sex services, Circuit Judge Joseph Marx granted April 29 a protection order preventing the release of videos in the cases of Lei Wang, 45, and Hua Zhang, 58. Both women were arrested in the Orchids of Asia Day Spa investigation.

More:31 male, female customers videotaped at spa Robert Kraft also visited sue over recordings

Testifying April 30 during the video suppression hearing for Kraft, Department of Health employee Karen Herzog she felt threatened as the inspection progressed.

“The actions of the manager. Any time that I was going into … the rooms that had the bedding and the clothing and the personal hygiene items … she was with me trying to cover stuff up with a blanket,” Herzog said. “She was trying to conceal.”

“I was starting to feel uneasy,” Herzog said. “I felt uneasy as the inspection progressed, I began to feel more and more uneasy.”

Meanwhile, in Martin County, Judge Kathleen Roberts ruled prosecutors can't use as evidence videos secretly recorded by law enforcement during a sex-for-pay investigation revealed in February.

In a six-page order, Roberts ruled that Martin County Sheriff's Office detectives last fall failed to observe "strict standards" required to be followed when secretly recording spa clients while searching for evidence of criminal activity.

More:Judge's decision to throw out sex spa videos could be crushing blow to prosecution

On May 8, Palm Beach County state attorney Dave Aronberg alleged Kraft attorneys William Burck and Alex Spiro intentionally made “a false statement of fact” during a motion to suppress hearing May 1.

In a major victory for Kraft, Hanser on May 13 ruled that video obtained from inside the the spa cannot be used by prosecutors. The ruling does not directly affect whether the video will be released to the public, although Kraft's legal team is expected to use the decision to further efforts to keep the footage out of the public domain.

What's next?

Chief Assistant State Attorney Tom Bakkedahl said investigators are questioning people who have elected to cooperate with authorities.

It’s unclear how many victims of human trafficking will be identified, said Bakkedahl, who declined to detail where the women are or what help they may be receiving.

“It could be anywhere from two to five (victims) at this stage, but I’m not positive,” he said. “Those who have been identified as potential victims are being cared for, I have been informed of that.”

Bakkedahl has assigned three assistant state attorneys to prosecute those charged in Martin and Indian River counties.

If a criminal connection is established between the Martin and Jupiter day spas, which would involve two judicial circuits, Bakkedahl said it’s possible the cases could be turned over to the Florida Attorney General’s Office of Statewide Prosecution.

Attorney General Ashley Moody was in Stuart with Martin County Sheriff Snyder and other state law enforcement officials as the Martin and Jupiter arrests were announced.

“The Attorney General has made it clear that fighting human trafficking is one of her top priorities," said Kylie Mason, press secretary for Moody.

Update: Fourteen women and one man have been charged with working in the spas. Their cases are now working their way through the court system, a process that will likely take years.

A handful of employees remain wanted, according to police and prosecutors.

For a searchable database of the men charged with soliciting prostitution, click here.

Update: Two woman in Martin County pleaded to their charges. One woman pleaded no contest to one felony charge as prosecutors dropped other charges. She could face up to 15 years in state prison. The other woman pleaded no contest to a felony offense of deriving proceeds or support from prostitution. She spoke through a Mandarin Chinese interpreter.

Update: Shen Mingbi, 58, of Jupiter was arrested April 22 on eight counts of offering to commit prostitution and a single count of deriving support from proceeds of prostitution after a Jupiter police investigation. According to court records, Mingbi was involved in providing sex services to Kraft on Jan. 19 at Orchids of Asia Day Spa. Mingbi also is accused of being involved in providing paid sex services to other men, records showed.

A fourth woman, Lei Chen, 43, of Jupiter, was arrested April 13 in the case, records show. Chen’s charges are the same as those of Mingbi, though Chen is not accused of providing sex services to Kraft.

Update: Two Indian River County judges granted motions May 16 tossing video evidence recorded during investigations into alleged area sex spas.

The investigations were part of a crackdown earlier this year on suspected human trafficking and sex-for-pay schemes at massage parlors across the Treasure Coast, Jupiter and Orlando.

In separate court cases, Judges Nicole Menz and David Morgan ruled the evidence was inadmissible after Vero Beach and Indian River County detectives failed to minimize invasion of privacy during secret video surveillance, conducted between November and January.

Specifically, Menz and Morgan wrote, detectives failed to abide court orders when they surreptitiously recorded clients getting legitimate massages alongside those paying for sex.

Update: Two people facing racketeering charges in connection with a suspected Vero Beach sex spa will avoid further jail time after taking plea deals, court documents show.

On June 4, prosecutors agreed to drop the most serious charges against Yan Xu, 51, and Kenneth Zullo, 65, of Sebastian, in exchange for no-contest pleas on lesser counts.

Update: A 48-year-old woman accused as part of the sprawling alleged sex spa saga in Martin County pleaded no contest to racketeering June 5 as prosecutors dropped other charges against her.

Lixia Zhu, of Stuart, appeared in front of Circuit Judge Sherwood Bauer at an afternoon hearing, dressed in green with chains around her waist. Her attorney stood on one side of her, and an interpreter on the other as Bauer went over aspects of the agreement.

Update: Prosecutors in early July granted a plea deal to another person involved in a suspected sex-for-pay scheme at a Vero Beach massage parlor, the fourth since late May.

Yaping Ren, 27, of Orlando, was accused by police of engaging in sex acts with 10 clients between Dec. 31 and Jan. 7 at East Spa in Vero Beach.

On July 8, prosecutors allowed Ren to plead no contest to engaging in prostitution, a second-degree misdemeanor, in exchange for dropping a felony charge of racketeering.

Update: A third woman was arrested in connection with allegations of providing sex acts for money at Florida Therapy Spa, one of four spas targeted in Martin County in a lengthy investigation.

Qing Hua Zhang, 47, was arrested July 26 on charges of racketeering, engaging in prostitution and use of structure or conveyance for prostitution.

According to records, Zhang was one of four women involved with Florida Therapy Spa in the 2800 block of Southeast Federal Highway in Stuart. Court records list the spa as her address.

Four months later ...

In the four months since law enforcement officials shared details of a sex-for-pay investigation of area day spas, five judges have tossed secretly-recorded videos, two municipalities have been sued over privacy rights and several women entered pleas in their cases.

During the investigation, more than a half dozen spas in Martin, Indian River and Palm Beach counties were closed and hundreds of men were implicated, accused of paying masseuses for sex acts, as were the women investigators said worked at and/or ran the establishments.

More:Here's what's happened since February when investigators announced sex-related arrests in spa raids

More:Cases against accused sex spa women winding their way through courts

Need help? See something?

The National Human Trafficking Hotline is confidential, toll free and available 24/7 in more than 200 languages.

Call: 888-373-7888

Text: “BeFree” (233733)

Chat:www.humantraffickinghotline.org