Jeanfromfillmore
04-05-2010, 12:20 PM
Timbuktu faces more immigration allegations
Feds say 30 percent of business based on undocumented workers
The owners of a popular restaurant in Hanover operated a complex money-laundering scheme to hide their use of illegal workers from federal authorities, according to a civil complaint filed by the U.S. Attorney's office.
George and Nikki Anagnostou, owners of Timbuktu restaurant and By the Docks restaurant in Baltimore County, provided housing for at least 27 undocumented workers at their business, according to a 99-page affidavit filed March 12 in U.S. District Court. Undocumented workers made up about 30 percent of the work force at Timbuktu, the affidavit states.
"As a result, approximately 30 percent of the restaurant's proceeds were generated from the employment and harboring of illegal aliens and their contributions to the operation of the business," wrote Matthew Schlegel, special agent with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The complaint was filed the same day that federal agents and county police raided Timbuktu and took the employees into custody.
Authorities say they uncovered a similar situation at By the Docks in Middle River, where the Anagnostous operated a similiar business, employing undocumented workers and housing them in a nearby home they owned.
Federal officials also allege the Anagnostous used the money they made through the restaurants to purchase two cars, a motorcycle and two homes in Baltimore County, according to the affidavit.
The U.S. Attorney's Office is seeking forfeiture of these vehicles and all the properties, the affidavit states.
Additional search warrants in connection with the case were filed March 23, according to officials in the prosecutor's office.
"The investigation is continuing," said Marcy Murphy, another spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's office. "With reference to the civil forfeiture complaint, the defendants have an opportunity to respond to our complaint and file a claim for the property. If they don't respond, we seize the property."
She couldn't say what kind of penalties the Anagnostous face.
ICE agents said they served search warrants at several establishments in Anne Arundel County on March 12, including Timbuktu. Twenty-nine suspected illegal aliens were arrested, though it's unclear if all were from Timbuktu.
Last week, the county Health and Inspections and Permits departments inspected Timbuktu, along with residences at 1738, 1754 and 1704 Dorsey Road connected to the restaurant. County officials said they found 20 violations, ranging from unsafe structures to junk, debris and rodent infestations.
Undocumented workers were living in each of those residences, the federal affidavit states. A fourth home at 1730 Dorsey Road was largely destroyed by a fire in February, and fire investigators said it was caused by an older model electric heater.
There were 10 beds inside the residence, which was only big enough for two or three people, the affidavit states. Schlegel wrote that the homes were in "deplorable" condition, with broken and boarded up windows.
George Anagnostou said yesterday that a lot of the allegations spelled out in the complaint were untrue, but declined further comment.
According to the complaint, he told ICE investigators that the business had gotten into trouble before for hiring illegal workers in the years before he took over, but that "we just don't play that game anymore."
Michael Stavlas of Linthicum is named as a part owner of the restaurants in the complaint. He could not be reached for comment yesterday, but said immediately after the raid that he had sold all but a small stake in the business to Anagnostou.
ICE officials began investigating Timbuktu in September 2008, when they got a tip that the owners were employing illegal immigrants and setting them up in a house at the rear of the establishment. The restaurant had previously been fined in 2000 for employing and harboring undocumented workers, the complaint states.
At least one of the workers nabbed at Timbuktu this month was also working at the restaurant in the late 1990s, the federal complaint says.
Schlegel wrote that the business's financial records indicate that a large number of employee paychecks were issued from Timbuktu's main operating account, then signed back over and redeposited to Timbuktu.
"Businesses will often cash checks for unauthorized aliens because many aliens do not have proper identification to open accounts with financial institutions," Schlegel wrote in the affidavit. "Running this type of check-cashing operation makes it easier for employees of illegal aliens to deduct fees and other expenses from employee wages, without detection or accountability, such as minimum-wage compliance."
The Timbuktu raid followed a similar operation at three other county businesses in February, including the Red Parrot Asian Bistro in Hanover. Those warrants resulted in the arrests of seven people from Honduras, and charges against the owner for housing and employing them.
Last fall, Robert Bontempo Jr., was sentenced in September to six months of work release for a similar scheme at his company painting service in Annapolis.
http://www.hometownglenburnie.com/news/Top_Stories/2010/03/31-16/Timbuktu+faces+more+immigration+allegations%0A.htm l
Feds say 30 percent of business based on undocumented workers
The owners of a popular restaurant in Hanover operated a complex money-laundering scheme to hide their use of illegal workers from federal authorities, according to a civil complaint filed by the U.S. Attorney's office.
George and Nikki Anagnostou, owners of Timbuktu restaurant and By the Docks restaurant in Baltimore County, provided housing for at least 27 undocumented workers at their business, according to a 99-page affidavit filed March 12 in U.S. District Court. Undocumented workers made up about 30 percent of the work force at Timbuktu, the affidavit states.
"As a result, approximately 30 percent of the restaurant's proceeds were generated from the employment and harboring of illegal aliens and their contributions to the operation of the business," wrote Matthew Schlegel, special agent with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The complaint was filed the same day that federal agents and county police raided Timbuktu and took the employees into custody.
Authorities say they uncovered a similar situation at By the Docks in Middle River, where the Anagnostous operated a similiar business, employing undocumented workers and housing them in a nearby home they owned.
Federal officials also allege the Anagnostous used the money they made through the restaurants to purchase two cars, a motorcycle and two homes in Baltimore County, according to the affidavit.
The U.S. Attorney's Office is seeking forfeiture of these vehicles and all the properties, the affidavit states.
Additional search warrants in connection with the case were filed March 23, according to officials in the prosecutor's office.
"The investigation is continuing," said Marcy Murphy, another spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's office. "With reference to the civil forfeiture complaint, the defendants have an opportunity to respond to our complaint and file a claim for the property. If they don't respond, we seize the property."
She couldn't say what kind of penalties the Anagnostous face.
ICE agents said they served search warrants at several establishments in Anne Arundel County on March 12, including Timbuktu. Twenty-nine suspected illegal aliens were arrested, though it's unclear if all were from Timbuktu.
Last week, the county Health and Inspections and Permits departments inspected Timbuktu, along with residences at 1738, 1754 and 1704 Dorsey Road connected to the restaurant. County officials said they found 20 violations, ranging from unsafe structures to junk, debris and rodent infestations.
Undocumented workers were living in each of those residences, the federal affidavit states. A fourth home at 1730 Dorsey Road was largely destroyed by a fire in February, and fire investigators said it was caused by an older model electric heater.
There were 10 beds inside the residence, which was only big enough for two or three people, the affidavit states. Schlegel wrote that the homes were in "deplorable" condition, with broken and boarded up windows.
George Anagnostou said yesterday that a lot of the allegations spelled out in the complaint were untrue, but declined further comment.
According to the complaint, he told ICE investigators that the business had gotten into trouble before for hiring illegal workers in the years before he took over, but that "we just don't play that game anymore."
Michael Stavlas of Linthicum is named as a part owner of the restaurants in the complaint. He could not be reached for comment yesterday, but said immediately after the raid that he had sold all but a small stake in the business to Anagnostou.
ICE officials began investigating Timbuktu in September 2008, when they got a tip that the owners were employing illegal immigrants and setting them up in a house at the rear of the establishment. The restaurant had previously been fined in 2000 for employing and harboring undocumented workers, the complaint states.
At least one of the workers nabbed at Timbuktu this month was also working at the restaurant in the late 1990s, the federal complaint says.
Schlegel wrote that the business's financial records indicate that a large number of employee paychecks were issued from Timbuktu's main operating account, then signed back over and redeposited to Timbuktu.
"Businesses will often cash checks for unauthorized aliens because many aliens do not have proper identification to open accounts with financial institutions," Schlegel wrote in the affidavit. "Running this type of check-cashing operation makes it easier for employees of illegal aliens to deduct fees and other expenses from employee wages, without detection or accountability, such as minimum-wage compliance."
The Timbuktu raid followed a similar operation at three other county businesses in February, including the Red Parrot Asian Bistro in Hanover. Those warrants resulted in the arrests of seven people from Honduras, and charges against the owner for housing and employing them.
Last fall, Robert Bontempo Jr., was sentenced in September to six months of work release for a similar scheme at his company painting service in Annapolis.
http://www.hometownglenburnie.com/news/Top_Stories/2010/03/31-16/Timbuktu+faces+more+immigration+allegations%0A.htm l