Debt

"Debt"
←	SVU, Episode 6.02	→
Production number: E5203 First aired (US): 28 September 2004 First aired (UK): 11 April 2005 First aired (CAN): 28 September 2004 First aired (AUS): 2 March 2005
	{{{nNthProducedInSeries}}}th of 502 produced in SVU
←	{{{nNthReleasedInSeries}}}th of 502 released in SVU	→
	{{{nNthReleasedInAll}}}th of 1271 released in all
Written By Amanda Green Directed By David Platt

Plot[]

When a six-year-old and her baby sister are found abandoned in an apartment, SVU is called. With the help of Huang as a translator, the detectives surmises that Jiao Wu, the children's mother, has been gone for a week and must've run off with a boyfriend. The detectives question Jiao's friend, Penny, who informs them that Jiao met a man through the dating service Golden Happiness, though Penny insists that Jiao would never leave her children for him. Benson and Stabler learn from Golden Happiness that Jiao Wu had been paired up with a supposedly wealthy Wall Street man, Howard Kendall. In reality, Howard Kendall is a mail boy with a history of assault and driving while intoxicated. Howard explains to Benson and Stabler that Jiao had called off the wedding after learning that he wasn't rich. The detectives track down the sweatshop where Jiao was employed and questions the workers there about Jiao. A coworker of Jiao's points the detectives into the direction of Jiao's sister, Li Mei. Li Mei claims that she has not talked to Jiao in two weeks, and requests to see her nieces. When Li Mei questions Hannah about Jiao, Hannah reveals that Jiao had left to pay a man money to smuggle Jiao's oldest daughter, Ping, into the U.S.

Stabler and Li Mei travel to Chinatown, with Stabler posing as Li Mei's boyfriend in order question the locals. They learn that Jiao had recently gone to visit the INS Detention Center to see Ping, who had been caught trying to sneak into the U.S. Stabler and Benson visit the detention center and meet with Ping's lawyer, Roger Baker, and an INS Agent. According to the agent, Ping was bailed out by a Winnie Chan, and is now in the hands of the smugglers. With nothing more they can do, Stabler and Benson encourage Li Mei to rest and get ready for family court the next morning regarding her nieces. Li Mei fails to appear, causing Stabler to question Li Mei's boss about her whereabouts. Li Mei's boss says a teenager named Tommy confronted Li Mei and took her out the back door. Stabler retraces their footsteps and finds Li Mei lying on the ground, badly beaten. At the hospital, Li Mei becomes hysterical and reveals that the smugglers killed her sister, and now she must pay off Jiao's debt.

While escorting Jiao's children out of ACS, Hannah shows Li Mei a picture of Ping that a man had given to her. Realizing that Ping is now being prostituted frightens Li Mei, and she refuses to tell Stabler where she is meeting the smugglers to hand them the money. Stabler manages to convince her to reveal the location, and the whole squad goes undercover during a sting. Tommy is arrested, along with the smuggling ring's leader, Ricky Yao. Stabler persuades Tommy to reveal the whereabouts of Jiao's body, which is found in a brothel in Flushing. When the detectives and CSU arrive, they find the house empty, and unearth Jiao's body. Novak offers to strike a plea deal with Yao, who refuses and taunts the detectives with Ping. Knowing that Yao will order Ping's death the moment he reaches Central Booking, Stabler has Kathy's cousin, who works in Central Booking, misplace Yao's papers, delaying him. While this is happening, Fin tells Stabler and Benson that Vice picked up a few of Yao's prostitutes. Stabler and Benson question one of the hookers who reveals that Roger Baker was the one who turned her over to Yao. Stabler interrogates Baker and learns that Yao has another brothel on Mosco Street.

The detectives raid the brothel while Novak is in court with Yao. The judge orders Yao's release, who then orders the hit on Ping. Novak attempts to stop one of Yao's men from calling the brothel to relay Yao's orders, but is too late. Benson and Fin burst into the room and see Ping being held at gunpoint. The man threatens to kill Ping but Stabler enters from another door and shoots the man. Li Mei arrives to the scene and reunites with her niece. Fin approaches Stabler with the news that IAB is waiting for him. As the ambulance drives off, Li Mei and Stabler lock eyes before she turns her attention to her niece.

Cast[]

Main cast[]

• Christopher Meloni as Detective Elliot Stabler
• Mariska Hargitay as Detective Olivia Benson
• Richard Belzer as Detective John Munch (credit only)
• Diane Neal as A.D.A. Casey Novak
• Ice-T as Detective Odafin Tutuola
• B.D. Wong as Dr. George Huang
• Dann Florek as Captain Donald Cragen

Recurring cast[]

• Mike Doyle as Forensics Technician Ryan O'Halloran
• Tom O'Rourke as Judge Mark Seligman
• Jake Robards as Assistant M.E. Cardillo
• Margaret Reed as Defense Attorney Felicia Chatham
• Donnetta Lavinia Grays as Officer Ramirez
• Paul Borghese as Officer Tanner
• Elizabeth Flax as Nurse Carey Hutchins

Guest cast[]

• Ming-Na as Li Mei Wu
• Jack Yang as Ricky Yao
• Aaron Yoo as Tommy
• James Hong as Sweatshop Owner
• Kim Chan as Mr. Zhang
• Curtis L. McClarin as Customs Officer
• Gene Canfield as Counterfeit Unit Detective D'Allesandro
• Craig Walker as Howard Kendall
• Loren Dean as Roger Baker
• Sabrina Jiang as Hannah Wu
• Andrew T. Lee as Charlie Ping
• Ted Oyama as Clerk
• Karen Tsen Lee as Penny Chen
• Jenny Wong as Ping Wu
• Cindy Lee Moon as Jade
• Nancy Eng as Sweatshop Woman
• Helen Palladino as Mrs. Armita
• Pam La Testa as Neighbor
• Rich Chew as Chinese American Officer
• Corrine Hong Wu as Prostitute
• David Ng as Chinese Thug
• Roger Wu as Man with Gun
• Frankie Dellarosa as Court Officer

References[]

• 9/11
• al-Qaeda
• Snakehead
• Golden Venture
• China
• Cuba
• Jamaica
• INS
• Kate Spade
• Coach
• Prada
• Ferragamo
• Hermès

Quotes[]

Customs Officer: We used to raid sweatshops every week for making phony handbags, designer jeans, even T- shirts, but since 9/11, we put all our manpower into DVDs.

Olivia Benson: Boot-leg movies pose a threat to national security?

Customs Officer: When al-Qaeda's selling them. Interpol raided a sleeper cell found 20,000 copies of Lion King, cheap to make, the profit margin's higher than drugs and a hell of a lot less risky.

Elliot Stabler: Using Mickey Mouse to fund terrorist attacks on America. What next?

Customs Officer: Baby formula, brake pads. Hell, even double-A batteries.

Stabler: Li Mei, you gotta trust me.

Li Mei: I am afraid.

Stabler: I understand that you're afraid, but I can't help you, your sister, or her daughter unless you do trust me. You've gotta tell me everything. Now let's start with Ping. How old is she?

Li Mei: Fifteen. Ping was only a baby when Jiao and her husband came here. They couldn't take her on the boat. We saved every penny to bring her to America. And then Jiao's husband left and took all our money.

Stabler: Where's Ping now?

Li Mei: I don't know.

Stabler: Come on, Hannah told you Jiao paid the man to bring her over here from China.

Li Mei: Yes, but I don't know if Ping is here.

Stabler: And the wedding money is for the smugglers, right?

Li Mei: These snakeheads charge $50,000 and until you pay off the debt, they own you.

Stabler: Now, these snakeheads, I need names.

Li Mei: I don't know.

Stabler: Li Mei, these are the people who have your sister. Now, every second you waste keeps us from finding her.

Li Mei: Please, you must believe me. I don't know. I begged her not to go. I told her that these people kill if you don't pay them back.

Stabler: Your sister took a huge risk.

Li Mei: Do you have children, Mr. Stabler?

Stabler: Yeah, I've got four.

Li Mei: Then wouldn't you deal with murderers to get your baby back?

Stabler: [to Li Mei's boss] Look, pal, I got two women missing already. You don't wanna piss me off today.

Benson: Where's Jiao Wu?

Ricky Yao: Who's that?

Benson: The woman you murdered.

Ricky Yao: You have the wrong guy.

Benson: Yeah? We've got your errand boy next door. First one to talk gets a deal.

Ricky Yao: How about the two of us, candlelight, bottle of Cristal.

Benson: I don't date scum.

Ricky Yao: Such a beautiful woman with such a foul mouth. What a turn on.

Benson: Shut up and wait for your lawyer. I bet Junior's already spillin' his guts.

Stabler: Where were you born?

Tommy: Here.

Stabler: Your parents?

Tommy: They're from Fujin. Little village, middle of nowhere.

Stabler: Coming to America, they took a lot of risks for a chance at a better life, huh?

Tommy: Some life. My dad was a teacher in China. Here, he's nothing but a delivery man. Riding around on a stupid bicycle, shoving menus under doors. "Beef fried rice, 2 dollars."

Stabler: You ever ask yourself why he does it?

Tommy: He tells me all the time. For me, so I could have a better life. Well, that's what I'm trying to do.

Stabler: By working for Ricky Yao?

Tommy: I earn more in a week than my dad makes in a month.

Stabler: You shake people down.

Tommy: I pick up the money. I don't hurt anyone.

Stabler: You muscle working people like your dad for their last dimes and hand it over to Ricky Yao. You're ripping off poor folks to make that dirt bag rich? Tommy, talk to me.

Tommy: I can't betray my people.

Stabler: Ricky Yao's not your people, don't you get it? He preys on your people! He beat up Li Mei in that alley! Be a man. You stand up for her.

Casey Novak: You ready to deal?

Ricky Yao: Like I told that hot lady cop, I have nothing to say.

Casey Novak: Maybe this is will change your mind. [shows him photos] We found Jiao's body buried under your whorehouse in Flushing.

Ricky Yao: Check the property rolls. Mrs. Chan owns that place. Sweet old lady.

Casey Novak: Grandma didn't slit Jiao's throat.

Ricky Yao: How do you know?

[about Ping]

Ricky Yao: Too bad about the kid. I hear she's a real nice piece of ass.

Stabler: Ping's gotta be alive if he's using her as a bargaining chip.

Benson: Or maybe he's playing us.

Stabler: I think he's sweating over her. Maybe she saw Ricky murder her mother. Ping was at that brothel.

Benson: He can't let her testify against him. Second he gets to Central Booking, he makes a phone call, she's dead.

Dr. Huang: [using a slight accent] Thank you for coming, Mr. Baker.

Roger Baker: How can I help you?

Dr. Huang: My cousin was caught at the airport. She will be sent back to China. They say you are very good lawyer.

Baker: I've had some success.

Dr. Huang: Please... help her.

Baker: First, I need to look at her case.

Dr. Huang: Okay.
[he moves towards a jail cell; Li Mei is inside]
Shing Shing... [Li Mei stands up] Mr. Baker, this is my cousin Shing Shing.

Baker: I could file asylum papers for her. But that's expensive.

Dr. Huang: I cannot pay much right now. Maybe a few hundred dollars.

Baker: Your cousin is young? She's a good worker?

Dr. Huang: She is.

Baker: I think she could make good money working for a friend of mine. The debt would be repaid in no time.

Dr. Huang: [tells Li Mei in Mandarin what Baker just told him]

Li Mei: [responds back in Mandarin]

Dr. Huang: She says... she'll do anything.

Baker: I don't know what that hooker told you, but I didn't kill anyone.

Stabler: Yeah, you're just a saint with a law degree.

Baker: I'm just trying to help these people, okay?

Stabler: Your big house in the Hamptons, your power boat, the Porsche, your Chinese clients help you pay for that?

Baker: The market's been good to me.

Stabler: You buy your toys with blood money.

Baker: I never hurt anyone, okay?

Stabler: [as he grabs Baker] Is that what you tell yourself so you can sleep at night?

Baker: These people are gonna be deported. I'm helping them stay in this country!

Stabler: By being Ricky Yao's sex slaves, huh? To be used up and buried when he's done with them!

Background information and notes[]

• Actors B.D. Wong, James Hong, and Ming-Na Wen all voiced characters in the 1998 Disney animated film version of Mulan.
• Another SVU episode, "Counselor, It's Chinatown" from season 21, also deals with Chinese sex traffickers.
  • Actress Karen Tsen Lee appears in both episodes.
  • While not the main focus, the booking and perp walk of Chinese sex traffickers is also shown in the opening of "Poisoned Motive" from season 14.

Episode scene cards[]