Jess Fang Ching Ting, Yuteng Zhang: Pair accused of enslaving foreign women at massage parlour to stand trial

An Ocean Reef couple accused of trafficking foreign women to WA and enslaving them at a massage business in Kalgoorlie will stand trial. Jess Fang Ching Ting, 39, and Yuteng Zhang, 33, were first charged with Commonwealth offences by Australian Federal Police in May 2024 over the alleged mistreatment of a woman who came to Australia in late 2023. The couple are accused of mistreating the woman by allegedly taking her passport illegally, underpaying her and forcing her to pay off debts that were excessive or unreasonably foisted upon her. They then allegedly submitted false information on multiple visa documents relating to the woman and another six foreign workers. However, only one of them came to WA in early 2023 and ceased employment after three months. At a mention hearing in the District Court of WA on Tuesday, Ting and Zhang’s not guilty pleas to four counts each of presenting a forged or falsified document and two counts each of debt bondage were confirmed. Prosecutor Joel Grinceri argued that the two complainants, who are aged in their late 30s, were vulnerable witnesses entitled to a special witness declaration, which usually means they give evidence remotely. But Paul Bevilacqua, representing Ms Ting, opposed the application and said he would prefer they gave evidence in person. The lawyers are due to resolve the matter before Judge Seamus Rafferty on December 23. The trial is set to begin on April 13.