Donald Trump “doesn’t know” the massage parlour boss who offered to sell Chinese businessmen access to the president and members of his inner circle at his Mar-a-Lago resort, the White House has said.

Li Yang, a US-based entrepreneur, made headlines last week when a picture emerged of her smiling alongside the president at his West Palm Beach country club during last month’s Super Bowl.

The 45-year-old operates a number of spas that have been scrutinised by at least two police agencies for prostitution, the The Miami Herald reported. She is also the founder of a Floridian spa caught up in a high-profile sex work sting.

It later emerged her investment firm, GY US Investments LLC, was offering clients the opportunity for a “presidential roundtable and presidential dinner” and to “take photos with the president”.

The company’s website, which has since been taken down, features Ms Yang in at least two different photos with Mr Trump and describes her as a member of the “Presidential Fundraising Committee”.

Criminals who worked for Trump Show all 5 1 /5 Criminals who worked for Trump Criminals who worked for Trump Michael Cohen Former lawyer for Donald Trump was sentenced to three years in prison on counts involving evading income tax, false disclosure of the hush money paid to Stormy Daniels and another hush money charge Getty Criminals who worked for Trump Paul Manafort Former campaign manager for Trump Manafort was found guilty in February 2018 of five counts of tax fraud, two counts of bank fraud and one count of failure to disclose a foreign bank account. The crimes occurred prior to his appointment in Trump's campaign Getty Criminals who worked for Trump George Papadopoulos Former Trump campaign adviser Papadopoulos pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI in October 2017. He had lied about making contact with a professor who claimed that the Russians had dirt on Hillary Clinton. He was sentenced to 14 days in jail Getty Criminals who worked for Trump Michael Flynn Former White House National Security adviser Michael Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI in December 2017. He had lied about conversations that he had with the Russian ambassador to the US during Trump's Presidential campaign. He was not given prison time due to his "significant assistance" to the Mueller investigation Getty Criminals who worked for Trump Rick Gates Deputy chairman of Trump's presidential campaign Gates pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI in February 2018 AFP/Getty

The White House has insisted insists Mr Trump is unaware of Ms Yang.

However, The Miami Herald reported that she has donated with relatives more than $42,000 (£32,000) to a Trump political action committee, as well as $16,000 (£12,000) to Mr Trump’s presidential campaign.

“The president doesn’t know this woman,” spokesperson Judd Deere told magazine Mother Jones, which first reported Ms Yang’s claims of access to the president.

Li Yang takes a selfie with Donald Trump during Super Bowl party (Facebook/Li Yang)

Last month Robert Kraft, owner of Super Bowl champions the New England Patriots, was charged with soliciting prostitution at Orchids of Asia Day - Ms Yang's former spa.

Florida police said they caught him on video in January paying for oral sex.

Mr Kraft has denied any wrongdoing. Ms Yang, 45, said she had sold the spa in question in 2013, and she had not been charged or implicated with crimes related to the sting.

Ms Yang has recently appeared in pictures alongside Mr Trump, his adult sons, as well as other prominent Republicans such as Florida governor Ron DeSantis and former Alaska governor Sarah Palin.