Mobsters, Cops and a Massage Parlor

July 9 -- Sometimes reality can read like an episode of The Sopranos.

Just ask Luke Hoffman, the street-wise exotic massage parlor owner in the working-class town of Lodi, New Jersey, who tells ABCNEWS' Downtown a remarkable story of alleged mobsters and corruption.

"I like women and I like to make money," says Hoffman, who runs his all-nude Ultima Spa just across town from the location where the fictional "Bada Bing" strip club of Tony Soprano's underworld is filmed. But since opening his massage parlor, he claims he has discovered the workings of the world of organized crime.

Attractive Business Opportunity

"Unfortunately this type of business attracts people of this nature … crooked politicians, dirty cops," says Hoffman. "They prey on businesses like this."

With large amounts of cash being exchanged behind closed doors for massage sessions with nude women, Hoffman says wiseguys from all over New Jersey were looking for a piece of the action.

Hoffman says his problems started seven years ago, when he was opening his first massage parlor in Lodi. Hoffman says he was approached by "John John" Giaquinto, an alleged associate of the Genovese crime family. Hoffman says Giaquinto extorted thousands of dollars from him, offering protection from local police and officials.

Hoffman even claims that on some occasions Giaquinto enlisted a Lodi police officer to come and get his payments. "A couple of times he sent this one particular police officer that was a friend of his, and he would just collect it for him," Hoffman says.

Giaquinto's attorney denies the allegation.

Offer He Couldn't Refuse

Hoffman says that when he refused to pay, there were three fires in his massage parlor in a single month. The last of the fires destroyed his business and the cause was determined to be arson.

"I was ready to move on, because I figured there was no way I could win," says Hoffman.

At this point, Hoffman says an investigator approached him from a task force formed by the FBI and the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office.