Edison Police Seize Over $750K in Massive Raid on Massage Parlor Fronting Prostitution Ring

Daniela Diienno was arrested on May 8 after police raided her spa and home.

Authorities in Edison, New Jersey, executed the township’s largest-ever asset seizure during a major raid on a massage parlor suspected of being a front for prostitution and money laundering. The yearlong undercover operation culminated Thursday in a coordinated strike at Bliss Spa on Woodbridge Avenue and the Edison residence of its manager, 47-year-old Daniela Diienno.

Investigators recovered more than $750,000 in assets, including $600,000 in cash found sewn inside a giant teddy bear. In total, police seized $650,000 in physical cash, along with a 2025 Tesla Model Y, a Rolex watch, a Cartier watch, and additional funds from Diienno’s bank accounts — bringing the full value of the haul to $754,373, according to Edison Police Chief Thomas Bryan.

Diienno now faces multiple criminal charges, including first-degree money laundering, second-degree promoting organized street crime, third-degree promoting prostitution, and fourth-degree maintaining a house of prostitution. She is currently being held at the Middlesex County Jail pending a detention hearing.

Police recovered $650,000 in cash from the spa owner’s home — including $600,000 sewn shut inside a teddy bear.

In addition to Diienno, four other women — ages 26 to 45 and residents of New Jersey and New York — were each charged with engaging in or soliciting prostitution. They were released on summonses.

Bliss Spa has since been shut down by township authorities, citing multiple health code violations and the immediate suspension of its business license.

Police Chief Bryan highlighted the elaborate nature of the criminal enterprise: “The amount of cash seized and the elaborate concealment methods used show just how sophisticated and profitable these illegal operations can be.”

Four other women were arrested when police busted Bliss Spa in Edison, New Jersey.

The raid and investigation were carried out with the support of the Edison Police SWAT Team, Criminal Investigations Bureau, the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, Edison Health Department, and the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs.

Edison Mayor Samip Joshi praised the multi-agency effort, noting it aligned with a township initiative launched in 2022 aimed at shutting down illicit massage parlors. In October 2024, a state report lauded Edison as a model for tackling the issue, citing the closure of 19 spas and implementation of strict business licensing rules.

“When government works together — police, health, zoning, prosecutors — we protect our residents and build a safer community,” Joshi said.