Posted on 01/21/2005 11:19:55 AM PST by gubamyster
2:04 PM EST Friday
Rachel Sams Staff
A federal grand jury has indicted an Ellicott City couple on charges of employing illegal aliens and laundering money at their frozen food businesses.
The grand jury Friday indicted Bao Ping Wang, 38, and his wife, Trang Lu, 40. Wang and Lu face charges of conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens, employment of illegal aliens and money laundering. Wang and Lu owned and operated wholesale frozen food suppliers Chang Jiang Seafood Supplier Inc. and Arctic Seafood Inc., which sold to Chinese restaurants and groceries in Baltimore, Atlanta and other cities, according to the indictment.
The couple bought a South Caton Avenue warehouse in fall 2000 to house Chang Jiang Seafood, according to the indictment. From fall 1998 to September 2004, Wang and Lu allegedly housed or concealed aliens and undocumented workers of Chinese nationality who were employed by Chang Jiang, the indictment charges. The couple also employed aliens and undocumented workers at their businesses from July 2002 to September 2004, the indictment alleges.
The indictment also claims Wang and Lu housed aliens and undocumented workers employed at Atlanta-based Arctic Seafood.
The couple also conducted financial transactions involving proceeds from the conspiracy to harbor the aliens and keep them in the United States, the government claims.
The government seeks forfeiture of $3 million and real property from the couple. The maximum penalty for both conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens and employment of illegal aliens is 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and restitution. The maximum penalty for money laundering is 20 years in prison, a fine and restitution.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Internal Revenue Service's Criminal Investigations Division, the Baltimore City Police Department and the U.S. Attorney's Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Levin is the prosecutor.
© 2005 American City Business Journals Inc.
ping
was the shrimp any good ?
Sounds fishy to me.
Sorry. I couldn't resist.
Martin O'Malley has already blamed this on Bob Ehrlich.
Are you sure it's not BUSH'S FAULT?!
Bad Pun Alert:
Frozen seafood business crooks hooked, funds frozen.
Also netted were numerous illegal aliens.
However compared to the produce industry, this mom n pop was just a school of small fry.
However, they were also indicted for Chinese Money Laundering. That brings one ticket that will cause them to *lose* their shirt!
Unnngh.
LOL!
There's a Chinese restaurant in the town where I live. It is rumored that the workers live there in the back of the restaurant, and they don't speak English. The police have been notified, but they're not interested.
Hit any restaurant or food supply in Los Angeles. Please send INS here, we are swarming with these people. The government can make millions in fines.
I'd have thought the IRS would find them more interesting...;-)
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