The proprietors of Bonfire Mongolian Grill in Clarksville have been charged with a scheme to hide unauthorized employees and launder money involving many businesses in Middle Tennessee.
The nine-count federal indictment was unsealed today and released by Middle District of Tennessee U.S. Attorney Mark H. Wildasin’s press statement. Zhongzhi “Tommy” Zhuo, 46, Jianping “Alan” Zhuo, 37, and Xiaofen “Joyce” Zhuo, 38, all of Hendersonville, as well as Jianhua “Jason” Zhuo, 35, and Lili Wu, 32, both of Gallatin, Tennessee, have been charged.
According to the release, the indictment alleges that Zhongzhi, Jianping, and Jianhua Zhuo, along with Lily Wu, as owners or operators of multiple restaurants in middle Tennessee, participated in a scheme to harbour individuals who were in the United States illegally by providing a means of financial support through employment at the restaurants as well as housing and transportation.
The indictment lists the following restaurants: Fuji Japanese Steakhouse with locations in Hendersonville, Goodlettsville, and White House; Bonfire Mongolian Grill with locations in Hendersonville, Clarksville, Mount Juliet, and Spring Hill; and Koi Japanese Steakhouse in Gallatin.
In addition, the indictment says that residential properties owned or leased by one or more defendants were utilized to shelter undocumented workers, including houses in Hendersonville, Gallatin, Goodlettsville, Clarksville, Mount Juliet, and Spring Hill, according to the statement.
Among the many allegations contained in the indictment are the following:
Paid and spoke with a broker to locate and deliver unauthorized labourers to the eateries.
Employed illegal workers without requiring them to fill out applications or collect any paperwork to ascertain their immigration status and employment authorization. The houses housed unauthorized labour.
Between the apartments and restaurants, the undocumented employees were transported.
Payments to illegal workers made outside of the regular payroll system were recorded in separate books.
These defendants, in addition to Xiaofen “Joyce” Zhuo, are also accused of:
Paid cash wages to undocumented immigrants in an attempt to deceive the United States.
Not deducting and paying employment taxes to the IRS.
Refused to permit unauthorized workers to pay taxes, even those with Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers.
Provided underestimated wages to tax preparation firms that prepared and filed tax filings with the IRS.
The indictment also contains a forfeiture claim in which the United States wants to seize four dwellings implicated in the conduct of the crimes, bank accounts, and a money judgment reflecting the proceeds of the crimes, according to the announcement.
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The charges entail maximum jail sentences ranging from 5 to 20 years if convicted.
This investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, IRS-Criminal Investigation, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and the Hendersonville Police Department. The prosecution team consists of Assistant United States Attorneys Robert S. Levine and Thomas J. Jaworski.
A charge is all that an indictment is. Until proven guilty in a court of law, all defendants are deemed innocent.
