Published: March 7, 2011
Updated: 8:52 a.m.

Man facing prison for hiring illegal workers

By SALVADOR HERNANDEZ
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTERNext Article »0Share5

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A Ladera Ranch man is scheduled to be sentenced Monday for obstruction of justice and hiring undocumented workers at his Rancho Cucamonga furniture store.

According to federal prosecutors, Rick Vartanian, 57, was found to have hired several undocumented workers. In 2009, Vartanian is accused of telling officials those workers were no longer at his store, but had in fact taken steps to hide the workers from being detected by federal officials.

Vartanian is president and primary shareholder of Brownwood Furniture and has pleaded guilty to the charges.

An anonymous tip led investigators from Homeland Security to the store. Authorities believe Vartanian knew the employees did not have the proper documentation to be hired.

An audit in July 2009 found that 61 of the 73 employees at the company used invalid documents to be hired. In December 2009, officials found that 18 of those employees were still at the company.

Vartaninan has agreed to pay a $10,000 fine, and prosecutors have recommended he be sentenced to a year or less in prison.

–City News Service contributed to this report.
Contact the writer: shernandez@ocregister.com or 949-454-7361

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