Palm Springs- The pretrial hearing for five people accused of being involved in what has been described as the largest prostitution ring in the two-county area is still going.

Court started at 9 a.m. for Boaz Benmoshe, 44; Ofer Lupovitz, 43; Moti Vintrov, 33; and Eliran Vintrov, 28 – all of the Coachella Valley – and Benmoshe’s wife, Melanie Ann Smith, 24, who is accused of tax evasion on suspicion of failing to fully report income made from the ring.

The hearing is expected to last all day.

The judge has already heard testimony from a former secretary who claims she was coerced by investigators into implicating the four alleged ringleaders. But a detective who is on the stand this afternoon contends the witness was not coerced and freely discussed her former bosses knowledge of prostitution at the escort service.

The proceedings were supposed to start Tuesday but were delayed until today. They should last about five days.

Authorities claim Benmoshe, Lupovitz and the Vintrovs led the massive ring of as many as 240 prostitutes, who serviced clients across California, Arizona, Oregon and Nevada.

So far, 11 people have been charged in connection with the ring, including wives, ex-wives and secretaries of the four men.