$100M scheme funneled cash to undocumented workers, prosecutor says

Posted on August 28, 2017 at 2:21 PM

http://image.nj.com/home/njo-media/w...294-mmmain.png
From left: Lucas Alves, Wesley Dos Santos and Renato Maia Da Silva are accused of laundering millions.(Burlington County Prosecutor's Office)

By Amanda Hoover

CINNAMINSON -- Three men have been arrested in connection with a money laundering scheme that moved $100 million in concealed payments to undocumented workers, authorities said.

Police began investigating MAIA Consulting on Route 130 after suspecting operators may be involved in an illegal check cashing operation, according to the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office.

Authorities said the investigation determined that companies along the East Coast had used MAIA Consulting to conceal payments made to undocumented construction workers since early 2015. Up to $100 million was laundered through the scheme, which involved MAIA cashing checks written to "shell" construction companies, according to the prosecutor's office.

Those companies existed for the sole purpose of concealing payments, allowing the companies to skirt tax obligations and labor regulations, authorities said.

Renato Maia Da Silva, 51, of Cinnaminson, Wesley Dos Santos, 31, of Palmyra, and Lucas Alves, 34, of Cinnaminson, each face a charge of financial facilitation of criminal activity, also known as money laundering, authorities said. All three men are undocumented immigrants from Brazil, and will have their cases reviewed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The consulting firm, residences of the alleged conspirators and a storage facility were searched late last week with a warrant, and the three men were subsequently arrested. Police seized $450,000 in cash and deposited funds, nine vehicles, three motorcycles and a collection of 30 high-end watches, according to the prosecutor's office.

The suspects are expected to appear in Burlington County Superior Court for a detention hearing Tuesday.

http://www.nj.com/burlington/index.s...100m_bust.html

Going on all across America for a decade now. Giving Americans drugs eases the pain and destroys our citizens in another way - they make money on that too. Those from south of the border control jobs to illegals & the drugs - much they acquire from china. This all has to end.

I wonder if the companies that used them, knowing that they were supplying illegal labor, to avoid FICA and taxes will be fined....Claw back!

It must have been the drug part and maybe they were ratted out by competing drug operations.

It is nothing unusual for illegals to work without paying taxes.

Quote:

---

The consulting firm, residences of the alleged conspirators and a storage facility were searched late last week with a warrant, and the three men were subsequently arrested. Police seized $450,000 in cash and deposited funds, nine vehicles, three motorcycles and a collection of 30 high-end watches, according to the prosecutor's office.

---

I am onboard with this kind of asset forfeiture...Build the wall.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Newmexican

I am onboard with this kind of asset forfeiture...Build the wall.

---

That's a very good idea.

There are so many people lying, cheating, and stealing in this country. It costs us billions. If they just would institute asset forfieture for drugs, fraud in Medicare, and other welfare systems - we could build that wall in no time - and have money left over.

They just arrested 3 couples in New Jersey (I believe) for defrauding the welfare system out of millions. It is happening all over the country. If people were buying things, property, etc., with money stolen from the American people, then we should own the property.

The only problem,when they seize the property, it quite often gets sold to cronies at much less than market value.