Eight restaurant owners and managers in the State College area are facing federal charges of conspiring to transport, harbor and conceal undocumented workers to work in their restaurants, according to the Department of Justice. The U.S. Attorney’s office filed the charges Thursday in U.S. District Court in Harrisburg.
The charges follow raids of several area restaurants in 2014, including My Thai, Penang Asian Fusion Cuisine, China Dragon, College Buffet, Chen’s Mongolian Buffet, Hunan Wok, Fuji & Jade Garden, and 100 Degrees Hot Pot.
Jing Mei Jiang of Boalsburg, owner of Fuji & Jade Garden, is identified as the alleged leader of the conspiracy. He was charged with defrauding the United States and the state of Pennsylvania by underreporting the number of employees, and wages paid to those employees in audit and tax documents. Also charged were Yu Mei Chen, Xin Xing Jiang and Yan Jin Jiang, also of Boalsburg; and Xue Jiang, Jian Bin Chen, Yong Cheng Chen and Huan Zhen Dong of State College.
The co-conspirators allegedly transported undocumented workers via commercial buses, vans and other vehicles to and from restaurants in the State College area, where they would live and work during their employment.
The workforce consisted of Hispanic and Chinese aliens from Mexico, Guatemala, Thailand and China, many of whom were illegally in the United States. The workers allegedly staffed restaurant kitchen operations and were paid below minimum wage to cut costs and maximize profits.
The case is part of a continuing investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, and the U.S. Department of Labor, assisted by the State College Police Department.
