Thread: Immigrant probe nets janitor crew owners

Thursday, February 22, 2007

Immigrant probe nets janitor crew owners

By LARA JAKES JORDAN
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

WASHINGTON -- Three top officials of a nationwide cleaning service were charged Thursday with fraud and tax crimes as part of an ongoing federal investigation that also netted hundreds of illegal immigrants in 18 states.

The illegal immigrants were working as janitors for Nevada-based Rosenbaum-Cunningham International, Inc., or RCI, a cleaning contractor for businesses.

The workers were swept up early Thursday in 63 locations nationwide, including restaurants such as the House of Blues, Hard Rock Cafe, ESPN Zone, Planet Hollywood, and others, according to a law enforcement official.

RCI co-owners Richard M. Rosenbaum and Edward Scott Cunningham, and firm controller Christina Flocken, face various criminal fraud, immigration and tax charges in the 23-count indictment unsealed in U.S. District Court in Grand Rapids, Mich.

The investigation, led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, began 20 months ago from concerns about cleaning crews at the Grand Traverse Resort in western Michigan.

As many as 300 illegal immigrants working as janitors were caught up in the probe, according to the law enforcement official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the charges had not yet been publicly announced.

A 1 p.m. EST news conference in Washington is planned.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/ ... rests.html

I can only hope that they were part of an Illgal Alien Union.

Dixie

I hope they hurry and get as many out as possible before Kennedy brings out the big amnesty bill, what a Jerk!!!

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-ex ... home-local

Immigration raids sweep through SoCal eateries
By Nicole Gaouette And Adam Schreck, Times Staff Writers
12:30 PM PST, February 22, 2007


WASHINGTON -- In a nationwide sweep across 17 states and the District of Columbia, immigration officials descended on popular eateries like Hard Rock Café and Planet Hollywood, arrested almost 200 illegal immigrants working for a janitorial company and filed criminal charges against its top three officials.

Agents targeted Florida-based Rosenbaum-Cunningham International Inc., raiding establishments like the ESPN Zone in 63 locations, including locations in Arcadia, West Hollywood, Anaheim, Ontario, Orange, Irvine and San Diego.

The firm's officials were charged with crimes that range from evading $18 million in taxes to directing a manager to obtain 20 fake "green cards," or visas, for cleaning crews at a Michigan resort -- then rewarding that manger with a $1,000 bonus for doing so. Company officials used the tax funds to buy themselves race horses, lavish homes and luxury boats and to pay college tuition for their children.

The raids were the latest high-profile attempt by the Bush administration to bolster its enforcement credentials as Congress and the White House gear up for another round of immigration debate that is expected to begin in weeks.

Critics, many within the president's own party, have assailed the administration for its support of an immigration overhaul that would give some illegal immigrants a chance at citizenship, calling instead for an "enforcement-first" approach that would ensure border and work site security.

Today in Washington, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Assistant Secretary Julie Myers unveiled a 23-count indictment against Richard Rosenbaum, Edward Cunningham and Carolyn Flocken, issuing criminal charges that she said would have bite. And she issued a tacit warning to other companies when she praised Grand Traverse Resort, the western Michigan hotel where ICE focused its investigation.

"We stand ready to work with honest companies, who want to work with us and do the right thing," Myers said.

Arrests on Wednesday night and this morning have also netted at least 195 illegal immigrants to date.


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