President in New Bedford Raid Pleads Guilty
November 12th, 2008 § Leave a Comment
Insolia plead guilty at the U.S. District Court in Boston, MA on November 3rd
On November 3, 2008, Francesco Insolia, the president and owner of Michael Bianco, Inc., plead guilty to 18 counts involving knowingly hiring undocumented workers and fraudulently misrepresenting Social Security numbers. These charges stem from an investigation that included a raid on his business by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in March 2007.
According to the terms of his plea agreement, Insolia faces 12-18 months in prison and a $30,000 fine. In addition, the company agreed to pay a fine of $1.5 million and pay around $460,000 in restitution for overtime owed to employees. Julie Myers, Homeland Secretary Assistant Secretary for ICE stated, “It is not okay for business owners to line their pockets by breaking the law.”
We are beginning to see the outcome for employers who have been raided in the increased worksite enforcement era. This guilty plea seems comparable to outcomes of other managers and owners indicted on similar charges.
