Thread: AZ:First Formal Charge in AZ Sanctions Law!!

Published: 07.08.2009

Business owner in Ariz. charged with ID theft
By Jacques Billeaud
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
PHOENIX — A Brazilian man who owns a granite countertop business is the first business owner in Arizona to be criminally charged in an investigation of suspected employer sanctions violations.
Raphael Libardi, 48, was indicted Tuesday on charges of identity theft, fraudulent schemes and forgery for allegedly using an elderly man’s Social Security number to run his business and buy a house and two vehicles. It was not immediately known whether he had a lawyer.
No civil case has been brought against the business owned by Libardi under Arizona’s civil law prohibiting businesses from knowingly hiring illegal immigrants. The law, intended to lessen the economic incentive for immigrants to sneak into the country, has prompted or contributed to an unknown number of illegal immigrants leaving Arizona for their home countries or other American states.
Although authorities across Arizona have examined several dozen employer sanctions complaints in the 18 months since the law took effect, no civil cases have been brought against businesses, which could have their business licenses suspended or revoked if they are found to have violated the law.
Employees and managers of other businesses have been charged criminally with identity theft for using forged documents or stolen identities to get jobs.
The biggest difficulty cited in bringing civil employer sanctions cases is the requirement that prosecutors prove that a business knew it had hired an illegal immigrant.
http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/hourlyupdate/300183.php

This is great news!

Granite importer arrested following local immigration investigation


Wednesday, July 8, 2009, 1:05pm MST | Modified: Wednesday, July 8, 2009, 1:31pm
Mike Sunnucks



A Brazilian business owner who runs a granite contracting business in Phoenix has been indicted on forgery, identify theft and fraud charges and is the first business owner facing criminal prosecution as the result of an immigration investigation from Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas.

Raphael Libardi, 48, Tuesday was indicted by a Maricopa County grand jury on 10 counts of fraud, ID theft, forgery and vehicle theft. The Anthem man is a Brazilian national and co-owner of Aracruz International Granite. The company imports and sells granite and marble slabs and counter tops used in homes and commercial buildings.

The Sheriff’s office and county prosecutors office say Libardi is in the U.S. illegally and used the Social Security number of a now-deceased elderly man to purchase a $500,000 home in Anthem, establish his business and buy two cars. Thomas’ office said Wednesday one of those vehicles was a Cadillac Escalade.

The county is also investigating whether Aracruz workers are in the U.S. legally.

Libardi was arrested by MCSO deputies June 30 and Thomas said Wednesday he is being held in county jail without bond. A telephone call and e-mail to Aracruz’s Phoenix offices were not returned Wednesday.

Thomas and Arpaio have conducted workplace raids under the Legal Arizona Worker’s Act but the law requires prosecutors to prove businesses knowingly hired illegal immigrants. Thomas said this was the first criminal prosecution of a business owner arising from an immigration investigation. Previous workplace raids by the MCSO have produced charges against undocumented workers but not business owners.

The Arizona Corporation Commission lists Libardi as a principal with Aracruz.


http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stor ... a=from_rss

If Janet was still gov she would have dismissed this.

Anthem man arrested for ID theft, fraud

Matt Loeschman



July 7, 2009

An Anthem man was arrested last week and charged with felony identity theft and mortgage fraud.

According to Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office reports, deputies executed search warrants June 30 at the Phoenix-based business Aracruz International Granite, 2310
W. Sherman St., and at the business owner’s home in Anthem, 42514 N. Bradon Ct.

Deputies received information through Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s illegal immigration hotline that Raphael Libardi, the co-owner of the business, was in the country illegally
from Brazil and that he was using the social security number of a dead person.

Reports state after investigation, Libardi was booked on felony identity theft and mortgage fraud charges under suspicion of using the dead person’s social security number to purchase two vehicles and two homes.

Additionally, two adult children of Libardi’s, Ive Libardi, 25, and Isac Libardi, 20, were also arrested at the business for suspicion of being in the country illegally.

According to an MCSO press release, Aracruz International is a supplier of granite counter tops who employs between 15-20 people and is believed to generate about $1.9 million in annual sales.

During the execution of that warrant, other employees, some of which were related to Libardi, were also found to be in the country illegally.

During the course of 21 employer sanctions investigations, MCSO has arrested 166 out of 262 illegal aliens for felony identity theft and forgery charges.

“Identity theft is a serious crime,â€

Way to go Arizona, let them have it.

Business owner charged with ID theft

by Associated Press July 8th, 2009 @ 7:32pm
Comments:1

PHOENIX - A Brazilian man who owns a granite countertop business has become the first business owner in Arizona to be criminally charged in an investigation of suspected employer sanctions violations.

Raphael Libardi, 48, was indicted Tuesday on charges of identity theft, fraudulent schemes and forgery for allegedly using an elderly man's Social Security number to set up his business and buy a house and two vehicles.

No civil case has been brought against the business owned by Libardi - or any other business in Arizona - under the state's 18-month-old civil law prohibiting businesses from knowingly hiring illegal immigrants. Still, authorities say they were investigating Libardi's business for possible employer sanction violations.

``We are making steady progress, and we are moving up the corporate ladder,'' said Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas, whose office is prosecuting Libardi.

Maricopa County sheriff's deputies raided Libardi's business, Aracruz International Granite, and his home in suburban Anthem last week. Authorities said some of the 15 to 20 people who work at the business were in the country illegally.

Prosecutors said Libardi, who is being held in jail without bond, started using an elderly man's Social Security number in 2002.

Libardi's attorney, Robert Bruce Stirling II, declined to comment Wednesday.

The employer sanctions law, intended to lessen the economic incentive for immigrants to sneak into the country, has prompted or contributed to an unknown number of illegal immigrants leaving Arizona for their home countries or other American states.

The biggest difficulty cited in bringing civil employer sanctions cases is the requirement that prosecutors prove that a business knew it had hired an illegal immigrant.

``You would have to show that the person who had operational control over the corporation knew that they were illegal immigrants when they were hired,'' Thomas said.

Even though no civil cases have been brought to court, numerous rank-and-file employees and a few supervisors of other businesses have been charged criminally with identity theft for using forged documents or stolen identities to get jobs.

Thomas said authorities in Maricopa County were investigating 20 other businesses for possible employer sanctions violations.

A business found to have violated the civil law could face the suspension or revocation of their licenses to operate in the state.

http://www.ktar.com/?nid=6&sid=1187514

Added to Homepage:
http://www.alipac.us/article-4370--0-0.html

You GO Joe! Tell them like it really is........amazing how this administration and past administration do not listen or actually take real steps to secure our homeland.

So what is Homeland Security?????????????



A JOKE!