The U.S. Attorney’s office revealed Tuesday its June 12 indictment of two men for running a brothel in an apartment in the privately owned half of University Village at 2515 University Ave.

Thuan Hoa To, 35, of Las Vegas, and Tommy Chee Bih, 29, of Minnetonka, allegedly ran the brothel from July 2000 until the FBI raided the apartment Sept. 8.

Several local agencies assisted in the two-year FBI investigation, dubbed “Operation Jade Blade.”

Other charges include six counts for interstate transportation of prostitutes and three counts of money laundering.

To flew the prostitutes into the Twin Cities. The women typically worked for five to 10 days and were paid $80 out of the $120 charged each customer.

The two were also indicted along with five others for running brothels in Eden Prairie, Minn., from January to September 2000. The grand jury indictment said three of the men – John Nguyen, Anh Viet Nguyen and Long Nam Tran – were charged with obtaining and intending to distribute MDMA, the drug commonly known as Ecstasy.

According to the indictment, Nguyen, 44, kept a list of known prostitutes and persuaded women to work in the brothels.

To remains at large. The Vietnamese government is holding Nguyen for unrelated drug charges.

– Tim Sturrock