San Jose ‘Madam’ located at LA Airport after over 3 years on the run
SAN JOSE – 50-year-old Elie Yamagata was arrested on $50,000 bail by Los Angeles Police at the LAX airport on November 27 on a warrant dating back to October of 2011 when she was linked to PC 266h(a), pimping, and PC 266(i)(a)(3), procuring a house in order to commit prostitution.
This arrest comes years after the initial arrest as police were able to serve a warrant for the suspect’s failure to appear in court to face the charges against her. Yamagata was found to have been supporting prostitution at two apartment complexes in San Jose. She reportedly admitted to police officers that she had been soliciting the act of prostitution for money. Cell phones, large amounts of money, and condoms were located at the scene.
MyRedBook.com has since been shut down.
Using the website MyRedBook.com, male clients would call the numbers and schedule appointments to meet the women inside several locations provided by Yamagata. When calling several numbers listed on the site, a cell phone collected as evidence rang.
During three month investigation, San Jose’s Covert Response Unit was able to identify Yamagata as the person responsible for housing prostitutes at the locations after requesting information from PG&E about the person paying for utilities at the residence. The rent paid for both apartments was $4000. Yamagata did not say how much money she made monthly from the illegal business, but it was estimated that she was dealing with tens of thousands of dollars.
Large amounts of cash was separated in envelopes located in Yamagata’s purse. With $2000 and other large stashes of money, Yamagata told investigators that the money as for a loan, and for rent she intended to pay for her sister, but said she knew nothing about the prostitution that was occurring at the residences. Yamagata told them, “She was never a prostitute.” However after further interviews, Yamagata admitted to operating and maintaining both houses for prostitution. She said that she was not in business with anyone else.
The next court date has been scheduled for February 5, 2015 in Dept 34 at 1:30 PM.
