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A 33-count indictment has been unsealed charging four in the region for defrauding and committing offenses against the US, including human trafficking from Central America, money laundering, benefiting from forced labor, and harboring undocumented immigrants, according to the Department of Justice.
Those charged with engaging in a conspiracy to harbor, transport, and benefit from the work of non-citizens at their commercial laundry business Northstar Holdings of Virginia LLC, which was doing business as Magnolia Cleaning Services LLC:
- Ana Patricia Landaverde, 47, of Williamsburg;
- Jeffrey Dean Vaughan, 64, of Williamsburg;
- George William Evans, 68, of Midlothian.
A fourth unnamed person is also facing charges for allegedly acting as an illegal supplier of fraudulent identification documents.
"Prospective employees without proper documentation to work in the United States were allegedly referred to this (person) to purchase a counterfeit permanent resident card and social security card,” prosecutors said.
The incident alleges that Landaverde, Vaughan, and Evans also allegedly engaged in the human trafficking of labor from Central America and benefitted from forced labor.
Among the laborers brought in to work for the trio was a 13-year-old who had to work nights while attending school during the day and another victim who worked for them under the threat of deportation or physical violence.
The second victim was also made to pay rent to live in the commercial laundry facility where she lacked access to a kitchen, shower, or bath.
Officials noted that between the first quarter of 2018 and the first quarter of 2022, the laundry business’s wage records reflect approximately 121 employees with alleged invalid or mismatched Social Security Numbers and wage payments of more than $1.2 million to these employees.
The case is now being prosecuted by Assistant US Attorneys Brian Samuels and D. Mack Coleman. No return court date has been announced.
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