Illegal Alien Scheme
A now closed Horsham-based car-wash business and five managers were indicted today by a federal grand jury for allegedly operating a scheme to employ illegal aliens at four local car washes.
U.S. Attorney Patrick Meehan told reporters that the defendants gave the workers the names of former employees to use and paid them in the names of those employees. The illegal workers were permitted to cash their paychecks at a nearby bank without showing identification, according to the charges, as long as they wore T-shirts or sweatshirts bearing the name of the business, Car Care Inc.
The company had branches in Norristown, Flourtown, Bryn Mawr and Cherry Hill. Officials said they have since been sold.
Charged in the indictment was Car Care Inc., and five of its managers. Eric W. Sitarchuk, an attorney for Car Care, said the now-defunct company has agreed to pay a $100,000 fine and forfeit $500,000 from the sale of the car washes. Fifty-seven illegal aliens were arrested during the investigation, authorities said; 14 have been deported, and the others are still facing immigration proceedings.
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