Russian gets four years in prison for role in illegal labor

Russian gets four years in prison for role in illegal labor ring

By Brian Bowling
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Tuesday, March 1, 2011

A Russian emigre failed to convince a federal judge Monday that he didn't know an employee-leasing business that operated in Pittsburgh and three other cities preyed on foreign nationals who had overstayed their visas or otherwise couldn't legally work in the United States.

Roman Litt, 66, of Staten Island, N.Y., claimed in court documents and through his son's testimony that he had visited Pittsburgh only three times and had become increasingly concerned about the legality of the business. Mikhail Litt, a New York real estate attorney, testified that his father walked away from the business in September 2006 because of those concerns.

"He was afraid and essentially paranoid about the business not being legal," he said.

U.S. District Judge Terrence McVerry sentenced Roman Litt to four years and eight months in prison and three years of probation.

"Greed is the only explanation for your actions," the judge said.

Roman Litt and his brother, Alexander Litt, 46, of Miami, pleaded guilty in September to conspiring to supply "out-of-status" aliens as restaurant and hotel workers and conspiring to launder the money made by the illegal business.

Alexander Litt is scheduled to be sentenced by McVerry on April 15.

The companies worked the out-of-status aliens for up to 20 hours a day with no overtime or benefits. The workers were charged for housing and transportation to and from work, as well as a $1.50 per hour "royalty" for working.

The companies housed workers in the Pittsburgh area with four to eight people, usually strangers, sharing an apartment, Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret Picking said.

The company charged each worker $150 per month for apartments that normally rented for about $550 to $600 per month, so it was making several hundred dollars a month off the apartments as well as through the leases it had with hotels and restaurants.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsbu ... z1FUYGT15P

I just watched another one of them "Culinary school" commercials

Nothing against the schools or the students, I worked with some very good students over the years.

What breaks my heart though is these kids are spending a ton of money and a couple years to learn a craft and this is what they have to compete against.

That is the reason I left the industry after 20 + years.

I also will tell you that there is not a restaurant I know of that I would go into to eat at.