Cops: Mount Olive masseuse tried bribing official with gift

The owner of the Asian Health Center inside the Village Mall in Mount Olive was indicted Tuesday on a charge of trying to influence a township Health Department official.

A Morris County grand jury issued an indictment that charges Shujuan Li, 52, of Flushing, N.Y. with one count of making an “offer of unlawful benefit to a public servant for official behavior” on Feb. 13. Li originally had been charged with a second-degree count of bribery but the indictment charges a less serious, third-degree offense of trying to confer an unlawful benefit on a public servant.

The indictment charges that Li directly or indirectly conferred, or agreed to confer any benefit of greater value than $200 not allowed by law to a public servant.

Police in February said that Mount Olive Detectives Michael Zarro and Eric Krouse went to the Health Department upon taking a call about an attempt to bribe a health official.

The health official had visited the Asian Health Center, a massage parlor, and issued the business summonses for remaining open and operating without a township zoning permit and failing to meet the requirements for a facility health certification.

Li then allegedly went to the Health Department on Feb. 13 to offer a $300 gift card as an inducement to let the business stay open without proper paperwork, according to police.

The official had refused the gift card and contacted police. Zarro located the gift card in Li’s possession and she was subsequently arrested, processed and released on her own recognizance.

Township Health Officer Sue Downer said she last visited the massage facility in May and ordered it to close because a proper certificate of occupancy had still not been obtained.

Staff Writer Peggy Wright: 973-267-1142; pwright@GannettNJ.com.