Hidden in Plain Sight: Human Trafficking Behind the Stage of Shen Yun
As a survivor of human trafficking, I’ve learned that it takes on many forms — far beyond the stereotypical images of street-level exploitation or internet-based schemes. It can infiltrate industries that seem untouchable, even disguising itself as art, culture, or prestigious organizations. So whenever I hear that it has made its way into a new industry. I am never really surprised. “CEO pimping” is when human trafficking is carried out by known companies or organizations. And this time it is Shen Yun Performing Arts.
When I moved to the Bay Area, I couldn’t escape the iconic Shen Yun billboards. They were everywhere, announcing the arrival of what seemed like a cultural phenomenon. Later, while traveling in Europe, I laughed at the familiarity of seeing the same posters, thousands of miles from home. Shen Yun was almost mythical. But the mystique crumbled when I learned about the allegations surrounding their operations.
Shen Yun Performing Arts is a United States-based nonprofit performing arts company that tours internationally, showcasing elaborate performances of dance and symphonic music. It was founded in 2006 by Chinese expatriates who are followers of Falun Gong, a spiritual movement persecuted by the Chinese government. The organization is headquartered at the Dragon Springs compound in Deerpark, New York, where Falun Gong leader Li Hongzhi resides.
Li Hongzhi began his public teachings of Falun Gong on 13 May 1992 in China. Falun Gong, rooted in qigong practices emphasizing meditation and breathing exercises, has faced severe repression in China. After fleeing to the United States, Li Hongzhi expanded the movement’s influence, founding The Epoch Times in 2000 and Shen Yun six years later. The Epoch Times also runs a regional news page “California Insider”.
The stated purpose of the company was to revive Chinese culture and traditions from the time before the Chinese Communist Revolution. Shen Yun’s performances often carry strong anti-communist messages. In one production, Chairman Mao appears amid apocalyptic imagery: a darkened sky, a city obliterated by earthquakes, and a red hammer and sickle glowing ominously in the background. These resonate with audiences, particularly in the United States, where freedom from communism and religious oppression strikes a chord. However, behind the scenes, a different story emerges.
At the Deepark compound, Falun Gong’s followers pay to rent the performance venue, promote the show, and sell tickets. After expenses are covered through ticket sales, proceeds go to Shen Yun. The finances of Shen Yun and Falun Gong appear to be linked, with technically separate corporations sharing funds, executives, and the same mission.
In more recent times, the leader, Li Hongzhi has claimed that aliens started invading human minds at the beginning of the 20th century, leading to mass corruption and the invention of computers. He has also denounced feminism and homosexuality and claimed he can walk through walls and levitate. Mixed-race children, he notes, are a symptom of societal decline. A race has its own particular “biosphere,” and whenever children are born of a mixed-race relationship, they are “defective persons.” Hongzhi also has told his followers that Trump was sent by heaven to destroy the Communist Party.
A former Shen Yun performer, Chang Chun-Ko, recently filed a federal lawsuit accusing the group of coercion, forced child labor, and human trafficking. Recruited at age 13, she danced for Shen Yun for more than a decade. What initially seemed like an honor — dancing for a group tied to Falun Gong’s spiritual mission — turned out to be a nightmare.
The 68-page lawsuit, brought by Chang Chun-Ko in Federal District Court in White Plains, N.Y., described Shen Yun as a “forced labor enterprise” that has exploited underage dancers through threats and public shaming to generate hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue.
The lawsuit comes three months after The New York Times revealed that Shen Yun’s performers had been working under abusive conditions for years. Ms. Chang, now 28, was among the former performers and instructors quoted in the article.
Passports were confiscated, performers were monitored, and their lives micromanaged under constant surveillance. Armed guards reportedly prevented anyone from leaving Shen Yun’s compound without permission. Children were cut off from outside news, unapproved media, and family contact. Any attempt to leave could result in public denouncements, labeling them as spies or traitors. Young recruits attended “schools” on Shen Yun’s campus, but their academic curriculum was almost nonexistent, as their primary focus was performing and generating revenue. Dancers were fed expired food, like beef jerky and ramen noodles, and told it was part of their spiritual purification. Even though Shen Yun is registered as a nonprofit, the lawsuit alleges that it generates hundreds of millions of dollars annually while providing little to no compensation to its performers.
It’s a chilling reminder that human trafficking doesn’t always fit the mold we expect. Trafficking is the act of recruiting, moving, or harboring a person, either by use of force, deception, or coercion for the purpose of exploitation and financial gain. Trafficking victims are not always taken by force. They often go willingly because they have been tricked into thinking the trafficker is someone who is looking out for their best interests. Young men and women seeking to become models or actors can also be exploited in other ways. Some essentially become slave labor when they are forced to work many more hours for substantially less pay than was originally stated in the contract. Others may not be given the level of housing promised by the alleged agency.
Human trafficking isn’t just the work of shadowy figures or street-level operations. It can be embedded in institutions we perceive as prestigious, artistic, or harmless. Shen Yun’s case is a powerful example of “CEO pimping,” where profit is prioritized over people, and exploitation is disguised as opportunity.
Before paying for entertainment, or giving our money to a business, it’s worth asking hard questions about how they operate. Can they leave their job if they want to? Can they come and go as they please? Do they live with their employer? Where do they sleep and eat? Do they have their passport or identification? Who has it? We owe it to survivors like Ms. Chang to question these systems and demand accountability.
But it is not just about not supporting these industries, but making sure we don’t allow ourselves or our children to become trapped in a similar situation. If you are set on entering the entertainment industry, it is important to connect with agencies and casting directors who have a good reputation and track record. Many people get wrapped up in the excitement of opportunities and end up involved with the wrong people because they aren’t aware of what is standard in the industry.
Several red flags may indicate an agency is not legitimate. These include finding their ads in the “help wanted” section of newspapers or magazines, receiving emailed castings that require payment for expenses like flights or wardrobe, or being asked for sensitive personal information such as your social security or bank details. The agency might falsely display photos of celebrities on their website or office walls without actually representing them, and alleged agents or scouts may refuse to provide clear details about the nature of shoots or auditions. Additional warning signs include requests to meet at someone’s home or after hours, prohibiting a parent or guardian from attending auditions or jobs for minors, asking you to socialize with certain individuals inappropriately, or demanding you pose for nude or suggestive photos not specified in your contract. To report a suspicious modeling or performing company, you can contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) by visiting their “Report Fraud” page online, or calling 1–877-FTC-HELP (1–877–382–4357); you can also reach out to your local consumer protection agency or state Attorney General depending on your location.
Human trafficking hides in plain sight — on billboards, in theaters, and behind the curtain. It’s up to us to pull that curtain back.
If you believe you have identified someone still in the trafficking situation, alert law enforcement immediately at the numbers provided below. It may be unsafe to attempt to rescue a trafficking victim. You have no way of knowing how the trafficker may react and retaliate against the victim and you. If, however, you identify a victim who has escaped the trafficking situation, there are several organizations to whom the victim could be referred for help with shelter, medical care, legal assistance, and other critical services. In this case, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline described below.
For urgent situations, notify local law enforcement immediately by calling 911. You may also want to alert the National Human Trafficking Hotline so that they can ensure response by law enforcement officials knowledgeable about human trafficking.
1–888–373–7888 National Human Trafficking Hotline
Photo taken in the Paris Metro by the author November 9, 2024
Photo taken in London by the author November 5, 2024.
https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/scams-and-safety/common-frauds-and-scams/sextortion
