Kansas City massage therapist faces sexual assault charges involving 2 former customers - KSHB 41 Kansas City

[Caitlin Knute]

Editor's Note: This web story contains graphic depictions of sexual assault and may not be suitable for all audiences.

A Kansas City, Missouri, massage therapist faces sexual assault charges involving two former customers.

Kansas City, Missouri, police are investigating a case involving a third woman they expect to take to the Jackson County Prosecutor's Office for consideration of criminal charges.

We decided to show his mug shot in this story because police are asking any additional alleged victims to contact them.

Even as the investigation continues, the massage spa where the man worked is still open.

We want to warn you that the following content in this story could be triggering for some and contains mature, graphic content.

The women we talked to felt strongly that we should not sanitize their allegations.

Kansas City massage therapist faces sexual assault charges involving 2 former customers

Natasha's story​

Natasha Culp was no stranger to massages when she walked into Fusion Spa in August 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri.

On that occasion, she booked a last-minute couple's massage with her boyfriend, Kyle

They were both on separate tables in the same room when she says things with her male masseuse took a turn for the worse.

"He had pulled my arm off to the side of the table and was massaging the back of my arm, but before he put my arm back on the table, he rubbed it on his body," Natasha recalled.

In a court document, a Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department detective noted the massage therapist "put his penis in Natasha's hand" and rubbed himself with her hand a couple times."

He then "touched her vagina."

Natasha said she initially tried to convince herself it was unintentional. But she says as the massage therapist's hands kept getting closer and closer to her genitals, she froze before he placed a finger inside her.

That's when she recalls jumping up from the table, grabbing her clothes, and leaving the business.

"I ran out the door, first person I called was my mom," Natasha said. "And of course, I didn’t want to report it at first, and I think it’s because I was afraid of not being believed," she admits while choking back a sob. "I got home and jumped in the shower immediately because I just felt disgusting, and then Kyle came home. I grabbed his hand and showed him what (the masseuse) did, and Kyle was like, 'I’m going back up there,' and I was like, 'Please don’t. He’s like, 'Well, then, we’re calling the police and we’re going to file a report."'

Natasha's boyfriend drove her to the police station where she filed a report.

Courtesy of Natasha Cup

Natasha Culp

She said that did little to bring her comfort.

"I quit my job," she said. "I quit going to the gym because I didn’t want to be looked at."

Natasha identified the masseuse as Gui Jin Jiang, only to learn he wasn't even licensed as a massage therapist in Missouri.

While Natasha waited, hoping charges would be filed, she contacted an attorney, Wes Shumate.

Shumate said he immediately felt compelled to help her.

"As she was telling me, she became worried, like, 'What will these people think of me if I speak up right now?"' "And that’s what hit it for me, that we had to get involved," Shumate said.

Shumate filed a civil suit on Natasha's behalf and helped her file a complaint with the Missouri Massage Licensing Board against Fusion Spa and its owner for allowing Jiang to perform massages without a license.

As Shumate investigated, he found another woman, Lila Kubas, had filed a similar police report that named Jiang more than a year earlier.

Lila's story​

"I remember in my head being like, 'Okay, he’s getting a little close, a little too close for comfort. I don’t know how I feel about that,'" Lila said.

Just 21 at the time, Lila had gone to Fusion Spa with her mom, who was getting a massage in another room.

"He kind of just kept getting closer and inching closer, and I just really tried to convince myself that nothing was inappropriate or wrong," Lila said. "I really wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt. Then, eventually, he just crossed the line into my underwear and went under my underwear," Lila said.

Courtest of Lila Kubis

Lila Kubas

According to a court document, Lila reported she "froze, and didn't know how to react," even "attempting to close her legs to get him to stop," but Lila said he didn't.

Much like Natasha, Lila recalls leaving the spa as quickly as possible, prompting her mom to call and check on her.

"I basically broke down and told her he had put his fingers inside of me, and she was like, 'What? Oh my gosh we need to go back there! We need to go call the police!'" Lila said.

However, instead of first going to the police station, her Mom took her to the hospital to get checked out with a rape kit, and she gave an officer a report there.

Lila eventually connected with Shumate, who represented her in a civil suit similar to Natasha's against the masseuse and Fusion Spa, along with four other women who later came forward.

The six women settled their civil suits for undisclosed amounts.

"We just want to make sure that honestly, they have a voice, the ones who want to speak up have a voice, and the ones that don’t want to speak up have someone to fight for them," Shumate said.

In addition to the six women Shumate has represented, he says he's personally talked to three others whose cases remain under investigation at this time.

Jiang is only charged in the cases involving Lila and Natasha. But KCPD detectives say they are finishing up a separate investigation involving a third woman they expect to take to the prosecutor's office for consideration of additional charges.

The alleged sexual assault is something Lila has spoken openly about on social media, particularly on TikTok, she says, for her sake and for others.

"For a long time, I had felt so alone, and I found a lot of healing through TikTok and social media and hearing what other people said about their experiences. And so I wanted to be able to do that for other people," Lila said.

Prosecutors filed two counts of second-degree sodomy charges against Jiang in July 2024.

He was arrested in January and arraigned on April 14th.

Jiang pleaded not guilty.

The women say the wait for a trial has been agonizing, along with knowing the massage parlor was still open.

That's why Lila says she ultimately confronted the spa owner, who was married to Jiang at the time of the incidents, captured in a video she shared on social media.

"It just felt like I had this huge secret, and it was just eating me alive, and so I just decided I need to go in and really give her a piece of my mind and tell her how she really affected my life completely, and it helped me a lot. It really felt healing. It felt like I had found my voice again," Lila emphasizes.

In addition to encouraging other alleged victims of abuse in any form to come forward, the women we spoke to want to see Jiang behind bars and see Fusion Spa shut down.

While they wait on the wheels of justice, they're also trying to move on with their lives.

Lila used her settlement money to move to California, where she's focused on finding joy in life again by skydiving, going to concerts, and even running her first 5K.

Natasha used her money to pay for therapy and went back to school at Johnson County Community College to become a therapist. The boyfriend who stood by her after the massage is now her fiance'.

Courtesy of Natasha Culp

Natasha Culp

They both say they feel stronger for coming forward, finding solace in sharing their voices and reclaiming their power.

"You know, we didn't do that and now we get to, and I think that's where the healing comes from, we are doing now the thing we wish we would've done in that moment," Natasha said.

We reached out to the public defender representing Jiang for an interview.

She declined, noting it's generally their policy to not comment on pending cases.

We also contacted the Missouri Board of Therapeutic Massage to ask why Fusion Spa is still allowed to operate, and their spokesperson shared that "the board does not comment on pending litigation, nor can (they) discuss whether or not a complaint has been filed or is being investigated."

However, records they provided us showed the business was on probation for three years starting in 2016 after a different unlicensed employee was "improperly allowed to operate (there) as a massage therapist."

—

If you have any information about a crime, you may contact your local police department directly. But if you want or need to remain anonymous, you should contact the Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers Tips Hotline by calling 816-474-TIPS (8477), submitting the tip online or through the free mobile app at P3Tips.com. Depending on your tip, Crime Stoppers could offer you a cash reward.

Annual homicide details and data for the Kansas City area are available through the KSHB 41 News Homicide Tracker, which was launched in 2015. Read the KSHB 41 News Mug Shot Policy.