COURTS: Woman smuggled illegal aliens to work at her Long Beach companies.
By news services
Posted: 03/24/2009 09:58:51 PM PDT


In a case of contemporary slavery, a businesswoman admitted bringing two illegal aliens into the country and forcing them to work at her two Long Beach elder care homes, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced Tuesday.

Evelyn Pelayo, 52, of Long Beach, entered her guilty plea Monday in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles to forced labor and unlawful conduct with respect to documents in futherance of forced labor, prosecutors said.

Pelayo's husband, Darwin Padolina, 56, also pleaded guilty Monday to harboring and concealing an illegal immigrant for private gain over a 10-year period.

Two other defendants in the case, Rodolfo Demafeliz, 39, and his assistant, Rolleta Riazon, 28, both Philippine nationals, pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy to encourage and induce illegal aliens to enter the U.S. for the purpose of private financial gain.

According to court documents, Pelayo recruited potential workers in the Philippines, promising them jobs.

Once they agreed, Pelayo contacted Demafeliz, a martial arts instructor, who then entered the aliens in U.S. Taekwondo tournamentsas a ruse, documents show.

Pelayo paid Demafeliz $6,000 for each individual. However, Pelayo told the victims that she paid $12,000 and informed them that they would have to work until they repaid their smuggling debts, U.S. Attorney Thomas P. O'Brien said.

Pelayo demanded that they work for her for 10 years, according to the government.

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