SANTA MARIA, Calif. (KEYT) – Jorge Vasquez, 65, of Santa Maria was sentenced Monday to twelve months and one day in federal prison for illegally collecting tens of thousands of dollars through a work visa scheme that targeted Mexican nationals.
He and three others were arrested in early November of last year in connection.
According to federal prosecutors in Los Angeles, Vasquez pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud on June 24 and was also ordered to pay $165,157 in restitution for the scheme Monday during his sentencing.
Vasquez admitted in his plea deal to recruiting foreign workers, mostly from Mexico, to work at two business entities he controlled -Cuyama Valley Farms LLC. and JJB Farm LLC.- on H-2A visas detailed federal prosecutors.
As part of their application process, Vasquez charged at least 162 foreign farmworkers between $8000 and $15,000 in fees noted prosecutors.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, workers applying for a H-2A visa, "may not pay any recruitment fees to obtain the job, may not pay any fees to obtain a visa, and may not kick back any part of their wages to you or anyone acting on your behalf."
Vasquez and co-conspirators mailed the requests to the federal government and stated they did not seek or receive any fees or or payments from the prospective H-2A workers shared federal prosecutors.
The organizers of the scheme also claimed that H-2A workers would receive an hourly rate of $19.50 through JJB Farm LLC. and $19.97 for workers at Cuyama Valley Farms LLC. on visa applications to the federal government stated prosecutors.
According to the First Assistant's Office for the Central District of California, Vasquez actually paid H-2A workers at JJB $16.50 an hour and paid H-2A workers at Cuyama Valley around $16 per hour.
Docking the wages of the workers is also a violation of H-2A visa rules and a violation of federal peonage laws.
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