Brookline restaurant owner charged with setting up secret camera in bathroom

BROOKLINE, MASS. (WHDH) - The owner of a Chinese restaurant in Brookline has been arraigned on criminal charges after police say an investigation revealed he had been secretly recording customers using the bathroom at his business for more than two years, officials said.

Taam China owner Tze Chung, 63, was ordered held on $7,500 cash bail following his arraignment in Brookline District Court Friday, where he faced 15 counts of videotaping intimate parts without consent. Chung was arrested Thursday afternoon by officers investigating videos of patrons using the bathroom at the Harvard Street restaurant.

Chung is already facing two counts of aggravated rape of a child and forcible rape of a child, three counts of indecent assault and battery on a child and four counts of possessing child pornography, according to Elizabeth Vlock, a spokeswoman for Middlesex District Attorney Marian T. Ryan’s Office.

He was arraigned on the original charges May 8 and was ordered to wear a GPS monitoring bracelet after posting $100,000 cash bail.

In an interview with 7News, Chung’s sister said she doesn’t believe the charges are true.

Customers at the restaurant Thursday said they were alarmed by the charges.

“It’s just sickening and gross that people do these kinds of things,” said Pam Fleetman. “I mean they have to have sick minds to do this.”

Brookline police are now asking the public for help identifying victims.

“The police need your help, we are trying to identify victims. If you were in this establishment on the following dates and used the restroom, kindly give us a call,” police wrote. “Please check credit card receipts or your calendar to help confirm one of these dates.”

The dates in question are May 27, 2016; June 10, 2016; Sept. 18, 2016; Sept. 22, 2016; Sept. 23, 2016; Oct. 9, 2016; Nov. 1, 2016; Dec. 1, 2016; Dec. 30, 2016; Jan. 10, 2017; Jan. 23, 2017; Feb. 6, 2017; May 14, 2017; May 25, 2017; July 12, 2017; July 18, 2017; Jan. 10, 2018; Jan. 25, 2018; Feb. 12; 2018; Feb. 15, 2018, according to police.

Anyone who may have been victimized is urged to call detectives at 617-730-2243.

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