Thread: HSI investigation leads to largest worksite enforcement forfeiture in ICE history

I.C.E. News Release

SEPTEMBER 23, 2014
NEW YORK, NY

HSI investigation leads to largest worksite enforcement forfeiture in ICE history

NEW YORK — Five franchisees and operators of 7-Eleven, Inc. (7-Eleven) stores located throughout Long Island and Virginia entered guilty pleas Monday at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, New York. The defendants pled guilty to committing wire fraud and concealing and harboring illegal aliens employed at 7-eleven stores.

The guilty pleas stem from an extensive investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

When sentenced, Farrukh Baig, 58, of Head of Harbor, New York and Malik Yousaf, 52, of South Setauket, New York face up to 20 years' imprisonment, and Bushra Baig, 50, of Head of Harbor, New York, Shahnawaz Baig, 63, of Virginia Beach, Virginia and Zahid Baig, 53, of Chesapeake, Virginia face up to 10 years' imprisonment.

The defendants used identities stolen from U.S. citizens, including the deceased and children to conceal their scheme and harbored illegal alien workers at houses own by the defendants.

The pleas were announced by James T. Hayes, Jr., special agent-in-charge of HSI New York; Loretta E. Lynch, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Joseph A. D'Amico, superintendent, New York State Police; Edward Webber, commissioner, Suffolk County Police; and Irv Miljoner, district director, United States Department of Labor.

"These defendants knowingly hired illegal aliens to feed their greed, stole the identities of unsuspecting U.S. citizens, and swindled more than 2.6 million dollars in wages from their enslaved workers," said James T. Hayes Jr. special agent-in-charge of HSI New York. As a result of this investigation, HSI and its law enforcement partners have recorded the largest worksite enforcement forfeiture in the United States. This case serves notice to employers that they will be severely punished if they seek to profit on the back of an illegal workforce."

"Using the 7-Eleven brand, the defendants dispensed wire fraud and identity theft, along with Big Gulps and candy bars. In our backyards, the defendants not only systematically employed illegal aliens, but concealed their employment by stealing the identities of children and even the dead. The defendants also exploited their alien employees, stealing their wages and requiring them to live in unregulated boarding houses," said Loretta E. Lynch, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. "We are committed to preserving the rule of law and protecting our communities from the abuses of corrupt businesses seeking to gain illegal advantage. I would like to thank our partners at HSI, New York State Police, Suffolk County Police and the United States Department of Labor for their hard work on this important and ongoing investigation."

According to court filings and facts presented in court, the defendants, who owned, managed, and controlled fourteen 7-Eleven franchise stores during the course of the conspiracies, allegedly hired dozens of illegal aliens, equipped them with more than 20 identities stolen from United States citizens, housed them at residences owned by the defendants, and stole substantial portions of their wages.

During the scheme, the defendants generated over $182 million in proceeds from the 7-Eleven franchise stores. Profits from those stores were shared by the defendants and 7-Eleven.

These are the first convictions in the government's ongoing inquiry, which is already one of the largest criminal alien employment investigations ever conducted by the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice. The defendants have agreed to forfeit the franchise rights to ten 7-Eleven stores in New York and four 7-Eleven stores in Virginia, as well as five houses in New York worth over $1.3 million. The case announced today constitutes ICE's largest criminal immigration forfeiture in its history.

In addition, the defendants agreed to pay $2,621,114.97 in restitution for the back wages that they stole from their workers. Two additional defendants in this case have previously pled guilty.

The sentencing proceedings for these defendants have not yet been scheduled but will be held before United States District Judge Sandra J. Feuerstein, at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, New York.

The pleas were taken by United States Magistrate Judge Steven I. Locke.

The government's case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher A. Ott, Brian Morris and Elliot M. Schachner.

This prosecution was the result of efforts by President Obama's Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force (FFETF) which was created in November 2009 to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. Attorneys' Offices, and state and local partners, it's the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory, and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud. Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state, and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets, and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions, and other organizations.

Over the past three fiscal years, the Justice Department has filed more than 10,000 financial fraud cases against nearly 15,000 defendants including more than 2,700 mortgage fraud defendants.

For more information on the task force, visithttp://www.StopFraud.gov.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security.

ICE is a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities. For more information, visit www.ICE.gov. To report suspicious activity, call 1-866-347-2423 or complete our tip form.

https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/hs...re-ice-history

http://www.alipac.us/f12/7-eleven-fr...rofits-311354/

. . . As of 2010, the upfront franchise fee for 7-Eleven stores ranges from $50,000 to $350,000, in addition to a onetime $10,000 to $40,000 gasoline fee if the store is also a gas station. Franchisees are also responsible for placing a deposit on the store's opening-day inventory and funding the cash registers to make change on the first day of business. 7-Eleven will handle the acquisition of required licenses and permits from state and local authorities, but the franchisee is responsible for all fees involved. . .

http://smallbusiness.chron.com/open-...hise-3887.html

Business Grants for Immigrants

Immigrants that come to the U.S. tend to start their own business. This is usually the case because immigrants competing with U.S. citizens stand a less likely chance to get a job, so they have to fend for themselves. Immigrants starting a business in the U.S. will also find it hard as well. For one thing, if they are newly arrived immigrants, they will have no credit and banks won’t finance someone with no credit. This means immigrants can’t get business loans from banks. Immigrants also might not have any family or friends in the U.S. they can immediately look to for getting loans.

One very important way for immigrants to obtain financing for their business is through business grants for immigrants.

These grants are government money with are set aside for immigrants to start-up or fund their business ventures. The great thing about grants is that they never need to be repaid. Not like loans where you have to repay it on top of interest.

If you’re interested in business grants for immigrants, you can start searching for grants through the government grants database. This is where they list all federal grants available. Search for your grants through specific keywords. When you have gathered up some grants you would like to apply, find out the information that they require and send it.

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http://jasonwu.hubpages.com/hub/businessgrantsforimmigrants

• Scholarships and Grants for Nursing Students
• Grants for Veterans
• Loans for Senior Citizens
• Loans for Felons
• Grants for Unemployed People
• Grants for Immigrants
• Grants for Women
• Grants for Disabled People
• Grants for Senior Citizens
• Grants for Felons

The arrests are good news, but the only way to shut off the flood of illegals is to enact Universal E-Verify. That'll eliminate the jobs lure which is responsilble to most illegals sneaking in to our country
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American jobs for American workers

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