{"id":9881,"date":"2026-02-22T16:10:09","date_gmt":"2026-02-22T16:10:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatrustedlawyers.com\/blog\/from-worksite-to-wire-fraud-a-compliance-wake-up-call\/"},"modified":"2026-02-22T16:10:09","modified_gmt":"2026-02-22T16:10:09","slug":"from-worksite-to-wire-fraud-a-compliance-wake-up-call","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatrustedlawyers.com\/blog\/from-worksite-to-wire-fraud-a-compliance-wake-up-call\/","title":{"rendered":"From Worksite to Wire Fraud: A Compliance Wake-Up Call"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By: Dawn M. Lurie<\/a> and Matthew Isaac<\/a><\/p>\n

This blog post was first published as an alert<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n

Michigan Couple Arrested in Large-Scale Immigration Scheme<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

In November of 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York announced charges by criminal complaint against a Michigan couple accused of orchestrating a multi-state scheme involving the employment of unauthorized workers, generating approximately $74 million in customer revenue. This case underscores how immigration violations can escalate into criminal liability, including money laundering and conspiracy charges, and offers important compliance lessons for employers. It also serves as a reminder of the increasing cooperation between agencies.<\/p>\n

What Happened<\/strong><\/p>\n

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the couple operated Orduna Plumbing Inc., employing more than 250 individuals between 2022 and 2024, only six of whom were legally authorized to work in the U.S. Business operations spanned Michigan, New York, North Carolina, and Ohio. Moises Orduna-Rios, President, and Raquel Orduna-Rios, Treasurer and Secretary, were charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy, transporting and harboring unauthorized aliens for commercial advantage or private financial gain, and conspiracy to bring in, harbor, and transport unauthorized aliens.<\/p>\n

Federal agents arrested 23 undocumented workers in multiple cities where Orduna Plumbing Inc. operated and uncovered evidence of an ongoing criminal conspiracy. The scheme generated an estimated $74 million in revenue from January 2022 to August 2025, with payments funneled through multiple bank accounts controlled by the defendants.<\/p>\n

Why It Matters<\/strong><\/p>\n

This case illustrates how immigration compliance failures can trigger cascading risks leading to criminal prosecution. Just as important, this case underscores that immigration enforcement is not limited to worksite arrests or individual removal actions. Prosecutors are increasingly pursuing employers and company officers where the government alleges a pattern of unlawful hiring tied to profit, expansion, or operational strategy. The investigation also illustrates how coordination across agencies can accelerate exposure, immigration enforcement, federal investigators, and prosecutors can combine resources, share information, and develop parallel financial and immigration theories in the same case.<\/p>\n

Because these matters can quickly move from civil compliance issues to criminal and financial exposure, employers should treat immigration controls as part of their broader risk and compliance program.<\/p>\n

Practical Takeaways<\/strong><\/p>\n

Although this case represents an extreme example of using unauthorized workers for financial gain, employers should take proactive steps to ensure compliance:<\/p>\n