7-Eleven raids: Fed Made Many Arrests
7-Eleven raids: A rush of 7-Eleven raids in New York and Virginia lead to multiple arrests and store seizures over immigration issues. The New York Times shared the details on June 17 of the raids that leave nine owners and managers facing charges.
The 7-Eleven raids happened Monday morning, and a handful of people are now facing charges that they harbored illegal immigrants. The owners and managers are also accused of paying the illegal immigrants with sham Social Security numbers.
Authorities are investigating 40 7-Eleven franchises, all of them suspected similar issues. This is no small effort, either. Prosectors are said to be seeking $30 million in forfeiture from the parent company and individual franchises. The Monday 7-Eleven raid focused on four stores in Virginia and 10 in New York, and there were five houses in New York seized as well.
Officials allege that the scheme involved hiring more than 50 illegal immigrants and stealing 20 identities from United States citizens. The immigrants were also said to be put up in homes owned by the defendants, and the owners then took a portion of their wages in exchange. The investigation discovered wire fraud along with the other crimes, and those charged are accused of “creating a modern-day plantation system.”
Reports indicate that many of those charged are of Pakistani descent, as were many of their victims. The scam has been going on since 2000, and the defendants are said to have brought in more than $182 million in revenue during that time. Further 7-Eleven raids seem to be expected as the investigation continues.
The 7-Eleven raids happened Monday morning, and a handful of people are now facing charges that they harbored illegal immigrants. The owners and managers are also accused of paying the illegal immigrants with sham Social Security numbers.
Authorities are investigating 40 7-Eleven franchises, all of them suspected similar issues. This is no small effort, either. Prosectors are said to be seeking $30 million in forfeiture from the parent company and individual franchises. The Monday 7-Eleven raid focused on four stores in Virginia and 10 in New York, and there were five houses in New York seized as well.
Officials allege that the scheme involved hiring more than 50 illegal immigrants and stealing 20 identities from United States citizens. The immigrants were also said to be put up in homes owned by the defendants, and the owners then took a portion of their wages in exchange. The investigation discovered wire fraud along with the other crimes, and those charged are accused of “creating a modern-day plantation system.”
Reports indicate that many of those charged are of Pakistani descent, as were many of their victims. The scam has been going on since 2000, and the defendants are said to have brought in more than $182 million in revenue during that time. Further 7-Eleven raids seem to be expected as the investigation continues.
