Five people who owned eight restaurants in middle Tennessee have pleaded guilty to federal crimes related to employing illegal aliens at those restaurants.
The five criminals pleaded guilty to defrauding the United States via failure to pay employment taxes, among other charges.
According to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee:
In plea hearings concluded this week, Zhongzhi “Tommy” Zhuo, 46, Jianping “Alan” Zhuo, 37, both of Hendersonville, Tenn., and Jianhua “Jason” Zhuo, 35, of Gallatin, Tenn., pleaded guilty to conspiracy to harbor aliens; conspiracy to commit money laundering; and conspiracy to defraud the United States by failure to collect and pay employment taxes to the IRS. Zhongzhi Zhuo also pleaded guilty to two counts of harboring aliens, and failure to pay employment taxes. Lili Wu, 32, of Gallatin, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States by failure to collect and pay employment taxes to the IRS. Xiaofen “Joyce” Zhuo, 38, of Hendersonville, pleaded guilty in February to conspiracy to defraud the United States by failure to collect and pay employment taxes to the IRS.
The defendants admitted to paying the illegal aliens “under the table” to avoid being caught harboring the illegal aliens so that they did not have to pay employment taxes.
“These defendants profited by exploiting and concealing the existence of vulnerable people,” Acting U.S. Attorney Jaworski said in the release. “I commend our law enforcement partners for their tireless efforts to bring them to justice and to remove individuals from circumstances in which they were exploited.”
Each defendant faces between five and 20 years in prison. Their sentencing hearings will be held later this year.
As the restaurant owners are punished for employing illegal aliens, the United States is bracing for tens of thousands – if not more – of illegal aliens from entering the country this week.
President Joe Biden has let the Trump-era Title 42 rule expire. That rule allowed for illegal aliens to be turned away at the border due to health concerns during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Videos of illegal aliens gathering at the border are currently circulating the web.
“Thousands of Haitians have gathered in the Mexican border city of Reynosa, across from McAllen, TX, ahead of Title 42’s expiration at midnight. Here, they are being informed about the changes that will take place after Title 42 is no longer in effect,” said Fox News reporter Bill Melugin, who covers the border crisis.
NEW: Thousands of Haitians have gathered in the Mexican border city of Reynosa, across from McAllen, TX, ahead of Title 42’s expiration at midnight. Here, they are being informed about the changes that will take place after Title 42 is no longer in effect. pic.twitter.com/0gZwOBZU9X
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) May 11, 2023
Earlier Thursday, Melugin posted footage showing massive trash and litter left behind by migrants as they crossed the border.
NEW: Stunning footage from our drone team shows an enormous amount of clothing & trash dumped by migrants at the edge of the river after they cross illegally into Brownsville in this spot. Mixed in, you will find IDs/paperwork from around the world, & Mexican humanitarian visas. pic.twitter.com/UnEwPK62Ni
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) May 11, 2023
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Pete D’Abrosca is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on Twitter.
Photo “Asian Kitchen” by Chuffin CC-NC-2.0. Photo “Bonfire Mongolian Grill” by Bonfire Mongolian Grill in Hendersonville.
Please tell us which restaurants, so that we can avoid them.
All Chinese names…part of the CCP that are buying businesses and property in the US? Harboring illegal aliens, bypassing taxes and costing us taxpayers! Are the owners legal? This is the downfall of our country. Stop legal and illegal immigration for 10 years!!! Stop the CCP from buying property and businesses in the USA. Particularly near military installations and particularly involving our food supply!!!!!