Thread: MD: Police Find $3 Million In Restaurant Owner's Homes

Police Find $3 Million In Charged Restaurant Owners' Homes


Police have charged Francisco Carlos Solano, 55, his wife Ines Solano, 59, both of Germantown, Md.; Francisco's sister Consuelo Solano, 69, of Arlington, Va., and brother Juan Faustino Solano, 57, of Kensington, Md., in connection with the case.

According to court documents, Francisco, Consuelo and Juan are natives of Peru, and Ines is a native of Columbia, but all became naturalized U.S. citizens. Francisco and Consuelo own the El Pollo Rico restaurant.

Law enforcement officers said the owners of El Pollo Rico were making peculiar withdrawals and deposits on a daily basis, moving thousands of dollars from one place to the next, evading federal banking regulations.

Authorities said the group also employed undocumented workers, paid them in cash and also housed several undocumented immigrants in residences in Wheaton and Kensington that are owned by Francisco Solano.

On Friday, agents said they seized more than $3 million in cash and jewelry from residences of the defendants, and several vehicles.

Investigators said the money was hidden but could easily be accessed at the residences in Germantown and Wheaton.

"In one residence we found over $2 million concealed in various places, including kitchen cabinets. In the other residence we found about $1.5 million in various safes," said James Dinkins, of Immigration Customs and Enforcement.

Officials said their investigation began about a year ago because of suspicious banking activity such as a quick succession of high-volume deposits and withdrawals. Officials said the underlying immigration violations were revealed over the course of the investigation.

Nine immigrant workers, employees of El Pollo Rico and residents of Guatemala, were arrested and charged with immigration violations in connection to the case. Officials said they face possible deportation.

Those who live and work near the restaurant said the business masterminds should be punished if guilty, but the nine workers should be spared.

"What happened to the workers was unjust. They are fighting to live here and they were working honestly," said one resident.

El Pollo Rico remained closed on Friday.

If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison.


http://www.nbc4.com/news/13680658/detail.html

but the nine workers should be spared.

"What happened to the workers was unjust. They are fighting to live here and they were working honestly," said one resident.

...yeah, sure let's treat them as hard working heroes. Working honestly???...RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT. http://www.brandens.net/files/Sounds/CLIPS/Spark-01.wav

the nine are illegals so they should be returned to their countries not allowed to stay in America.

So, where did all the dough come from? Was it drug money? Was it smuggling fees from the illegals?

Originally Posted by pjr40

So, where did all the dough come from? Was it drug money? Was it smuggling fees from the illegals?

All of the above -------- and then some.

Wheaton Restaurant Owners Post $500,000 Bond Each

POSTED: 9:05 pm EDT July 16, 2007
UPDATED: 9:32 pm EDT July 16, 2007

GREENBELT, Md. -- Last week, federal agents stormed the El Pollo Rico restaurant in Wheaton.

The owners faced federal charges of harboring illegal immigrants and money laundering, but Monday night they were out on bond.

Francisco Solano and his wife Ines Solano were released on $500,000 bond each. They each face five criminal charges and could be sentenced to a maximum of 10 years in prison on each of those charges. They may also incur hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines.

Federal agents seized $3 million from their property last week and closed their restaurant.

Some customers were surprised to hear El Pollo Rico was closed.

"I just think it's sad that the place is closed down," customer Maameyaa said. "It's been open for years."

Eric Harper said if the restaurant reopens, he would be first in line to be served.

Solano was charged with employing unauthorized aliens, harboring aliens for financial gain and laundering money -- allegedly $6.6 million.

Thursday, federal agents raided the restaurant seizing money and records of bank deposits in amounts like $7,000, $8,000 and $9,000 a day.

There were also allegations that the Solanos housed aliens, both illegal and legal, in their home in Kensington, Md. and at a house near the restaurant.

The workers at the restaurant, authorities said, were underpaid.

Investigators also found evidence that the Solanos laundered money by purchasing securities, vehicles and rare coins.

"The complaint alleges that the Solanos operated El Pollo Rico as money-laundering enterprise," U.S. attorney Rod Rosenstein said. "That is, that they were employing and harboring illegal aliens. They were structuring their financial transactions by depositing money in the bank in small amounts so that it wouldn't be detected by the government. They were using those criminal proceeds to purchase property and jewelry."

Both Solanos posted a $500,000 property bond pledging four of their houses as security to assure their appearance at all future court proceedings.

"At this time we have every expectation that the business will be up and running again in the very near future," the Solanos' attorney, Dennis Murphy, said.

Customer Berman Palma said he feels sorry for the underpaid workers at El Pollo Rico.

"Nobody knew what was going on inside there," Palma said. "Obviously something went down and now they closed it."

Authorities said they Solanos can reopen El Pollo Rico under strict conditions. They have to operate it legally, which means keeping proper payroll records and hiring new employees.

Their trial at the U.S. Courthouse in Greenbelt, Md., has yet to be scheduled.

http://www.nbc4.com/news/13692939/detai ... c&psp=news

And the locals were screaming bloody murder over this restaurant raid?