Posted on 06/22/2013 4:53:43 AM PDT by csvset
Convenience store chain 7-Eleven Inc. has taken over the operation of two more Hampton Roads franchises, in Virginia Beach and Newport News, in response to a federal inquiry into alleged illegal hiring of immigrant employees in New York and Virginia.
Federal immigration officials arrested nine 7-Eleven store owners and managers Monday, including three Hampton Roads men, on charges that they stole Social Security numbers to employ Pakistani and Filipino workers who were in the country illegally and siphoned their wages. The charges include wire fraud, aggravated identify theft and conspiracy to conceal and harbor the immigrants.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents raided 14 franchises early this week, including four in Hampton Roads, forcing the retailer to take over their operation. Federal agents swept through and searched about 30 other stores nationwide where they suspected similar activities took place.
Dallas-based 7-Eleven said in a prepared statement Wednesday that it has assumed control of Hampton Roads stores at 1584 General Booth Blvd. in Virginia Beach and 2610 Jefferson Ave. in Newport News.
That's in addition to four stores - at 725 London Blvd. in Portsmouth; 1088 W. 26th St. in Norfolk; and 4701 Taylor Road and 4424 Portsmouth Blvd. in Chesapeake - where franchise owners already were stripped of their control.
"7-Eleven Inc. has assumed control of two additional stores in Virginia as a result of pending felony proceedings against two franchisees," read the company's statement. "These stores are now open under the management of 7-Eleven Inc."
7-Eleven did not provide information about the ownership of the latest two stores that were taken back by the company.
Shannawaz Baig, 62, of Virginia Beach and Zahid Baig, 52, and Tariq Rana, 34, both of Chesapeake, were indicted last week along with six New York residents by a federal grand jury in New York. According to the indictments, New York couple Farrukh and Bushra Baig owned, co-owned or controlled at least 12 of the initial 14 stores targeted in the investigation. For at least three Hampton Roads franchises, they used a "straw purchaser," who effectively hid the real owners' involvement in the operations, the indictments alleged.
Farrukh Baig is the brother of Shannawaz Baig and Zahid Baig.
The indictments charge that the defendants have employed more than 50 unauthorized immigrants since 2000 and concealed doing so by stealing at least 25 identities, including three dead people's.
Vincent Picard, an Immigration and Customs spokesman, said agents took two 7-Eleven employees from the Hampton Roads stores into custody Monday amid suspicions they entered the country without permission. An additional 18 in New York were taken into custody. The two Virginia workers, whom Picard called "victims," were released on their own recognizance.
While prosecutors said some of the 7-Eleven employees were forced to live in "unregulated boarding houses" owned by their bosses, Picard said he doesn't know of that situation occurring in Virginia.
Pilot writer Scott Daugherty contributed to this report.
Zahid Baig, 52, of Chesapeake, right, Shannawaz Baig, 62, of Virginia Beach, middle, and Tariq Rana, 34, of Chesapeake, were escorted from U.S. District Court in Norfolk on Monday, June 17th, 2013. The three were were among nine owners and managers of 7-Eleven stores in New York and Virginia who were charged in a scheme to exploit immigrants. (Brian J. Clark | The Virginian-Pilot)
A sure sign we need immigration reform. /s
So they busted two stores....out of maybe four hundred...that have illegal workers in them? I don’t see much to talk about. It’s like fishing with dynamite....just pick forty 7-Elevens....and the odds are that two or three will be in violation.
Joe Biden was right! Literally!
Huh?
An indian man purchased our local 7 Eleven store in south Florida. It was a mixture of Haitian, white, black american, etc... Within weeks it was only Indian employees.
They have lost a good bit of business. For one, it’s not nice to go from normal speaking (even the Haitians with their accents spoke english that you could understand) employees to a constant struggle in explaining what you want. God forbid you say “third from the back” when asking for a hot dog or what have you. Next is the odd arrogant attitude toward people. It’s not just one, it’s all.
What’s with “Pinoy” all of a sudden? This is the second headline I’ve seen this morning using it. Did all the wire services suddenly change their stylebooks?
Strange how immigration law is suddenly being enforced in this one specific situation. The 7 Eleven CEO is a Republican donor but that probably has nothing to do with it.
DEPINTO, JOSEPH M. MR.
SOUTHLAKE, TX 76092
7-ELEVEN INC.
ROMNEY / PAUL D. RYAN, MITT
VIA ROMNEY FOR PRESIDENT INC.
03/16/2012 2500.00 12951549420
Perhaps getting the PC word in front is a way of easing the subject into the American lexicon
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents raided 14 franchises early this week, including four in Hampton Roads, forcing the retailer to take over their operation. Federal agents swept through and searched about 30 other stores nationwide where they suspected similar activities took place.
... the hottest market right now regarding development and economic progress.
That should be great for them, as long as they don't get bogged down in trying to prevent Climate Change!
As per wikipedia:
Pinoy was coined by expatriate Filipino Americans during the 1920s and was later adopted by Filipinos in the Philippines.
According to historian Dawn Mabalon, the historical use has been to refer to Filipinos born or living in the United States and has been in constant use since the 1920s.
She adds that it was reclaimed and politicized by "Filipino American activists and artists in the Fil-Am movements of the 1960s/1970s".
Wikipedia goes on to say," It is more positive than "flip."
Well, yeah, duh!
I just wonder if they were Muslims.
They need to check out Subway also.
i was suprised when i found out 7-11 have a japanese parent company.
i enjoy the 7-11’s in asia.
Yes, you do indeed need to speak Pakistani at the 7-11.
When will they go up and down the I-95 corridor and check out the Motels.
It’s not just 7-11 franchises.
Many convenience and small grocery stores are owned by “immigrants” that cycle workers back and forth out of their home countries. In many cases it will be one owner of multiple stores in an area with workers going back and forth to the homeland.
They will live in ‘stack’ housing and sometimes actually sleep and live in the backrooms of these stores.
You never go back to a place like that.
How are they going to entice someone for a pizza (that they now make fresh in most stores) when they got a crock pot of curry in the back.
I for one can’t stand curry, the smell or taste. My 11 year old adds EXTRA curry to her ramen noodles. Go figure. But even she would get queasy if it was that overwhelming.
I used to travel around the country and stayed in a lot of cheap “Patel Hotels” as we called them. The office was nauseating between the curry smell trying to compete with the thick incense smell.
I guess if you grew up in it, it would be fabulous. But not for me. Of course they might not like the smell of my boiled cabbage and cornbread if they walked in my house, LOL.
Thanks, that is interesting.
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