ATLANTA — A federal grand jury has indicted three Georgia residents on charges of allegedly forcing Chinese nationals to work long hours at a Cartersville flooring factory after recruiting them to the United States under false pretenses, federal authorities announced Wednesday.
The indictment charges Zhu Chen, 60; Jiayi Chen, 31; and Jianjun Lu, 55, with forced labor and conspiracy to commit forced labor. Zhu Chen and Jiayi Chen are U.S. citizens, while Lu is a Chinese national. All three live in Cartersville.
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- Defendants: Zhu Chen, 60; Jiayi Chen, 31; and Jianjun Lu, 55
- Location: Cartersville, Georgia
- Business: Wellmade Industries, a flooring manufacturer
- Workers: Chinese nationals recruited through alleged false promises
- Visas involved: B-1 and L-1 visas
- Alleged schedule: 12 hours a day, six days a week
- Core charges: Forced labor and conspiracy to commit forced labor
- Additional charge: Zhu Chen is charged with alien harboring
- Maximum penalty: Up to 20 years in prison
- Case status: The allegations have not been proven in court
According to court documents, the defendants recruited Chinese nationals to enter the United States on B-1 and L-1 visas by making false promises about jobs at Wellmade Industries, a flooring manufacturer in Cartersville.
After the workers arrived, the defendants allegedly confiscated their immigration documents and required them to work 12-hour shifts, six days a week.
Prosecutors allege the workers received less pay than promised and were denied overtime compensation and health benefits. The defendants also allegedly threatened the workers with deportation and substantial debts while subjecting them to verbal, psychological and physical abuse.
The workers were housed in residences owned by Wellmade Industries, even though their visas did not authorize them to live and work under those conditions, according to court documents.
All three defendants are charged with forced labor and conspiracy to commit forced labor. Zhu Chen also faces an alien-harboring charge.
If convicted, each defendant faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
An indictment contains allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.