Three people have been charged in an investigation by the FBI and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in connection with a scheme involving Filipino nationals who were brought into the United States and forced to work in two local residential elder care facilities, announced Salvador Hernandez, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI in Los Angeles, and Robert Schoch, special agent in charge for the ICE Office of Investigations in Los Angeles.
Three individuals were arrested by agents with the FBI and ICE and charged in criminal complaints filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles on April 2, 2008. According to the complaints, the victims were recruited with promises of employment in the United States, then forced in an abusive and threatening manner to work to pay their 'travel expenses.'
Rodolfo Demafeliz, 39, and his assistant, Rolleta Riazon, 28, both Philippine nationals who traveled frequently between the United States and the Philippines, were arrested Thursday morning prior to boarding a flight en route to Manila. They are both charged for their role in transporting the victims to the United States in connection with the harboring scheme.
Evelyn Pelayo, 51, a resident of Long Beach, California, was also arrested Thursday. Pelayo is the owner of three homes in Long Beach, California; one in which she resides, and two others, where she operated elderly care and boarding facilities for patients with various ailments. Pelayo, who was arrested at her residence, was in court yesterday afternoon and will be held at Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles, awaiting the continuance of her detention hearing, scheduled for April 8.
The complaint describes in detail how the alleged scheme was carried out. Pelayo allegedly recruited potential workers in the Philippines with the promise of work in her elder care facilities. Once the victim agreed, Pelayo contacted Rodolfo Demafeliz, who is a Taekwondo martial arts instructor. Demafeliz would enter 'students' in American Taekwondo tournaments as a ruse to bring them to the United States. Demafeliz obtained visas for the victims and provided limited martial arts training for them. The training allegedly added legitimacy to the scheme to obtain the visas. There is no evidence to indicate that any of the victims ever participated in any tournaments in the United States.
During the course of the investigation, agents identified three victims who were working at the two elderly care facilities; an additional three workers were found yesterday during the execution of search warrants. According to the complaints, the victims were forced to work nearly 24 hours a day and were advised they would have to work for several years while they repaid their travel debts. Pelayo allegedly threatened victims by promising to falsely accuse them of crimes should they try to leave, and threatened to contact police and immigration officials, whom she said would deport the victims. Pelayo allegedly held the victims' passports and verbally abused them. Pelayo also instructed the victims to lie about the amount of hours they worked when questioned by officials with the Department of Social Services, who monitor the homes for the elderly.
'The luring of persons into the United States on the promise of legitimate work and a better life, only to be held in what is, essentially, modern-day slavery is, regrettably, taking place in our community, said Salvador Hernandez, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI in Los Angeles. 'The charges allege that these victims were forced into debt bondage under threat of arrest or deportation, so the defendants could profit. The Human Trafficking Task Force in Los Angeles will continue its efforts to dismantle trafficking organizations and raise awareness of the problem within the law enforcement community and among the public.'
The two elder care homes were closed down yesterday, following the execution of federal search warrants. A total of 10 elderly patients were rescued and moved to legitimate facilities for their safety and to ensure they receive appropriate care. In addition to agents with the FBI and ICE, multiple state agencies assisted with yesterday's operation and the transition of the elderly patients and victim workers - including Community Care Licensing, the Long Term Care Ombudsman, Adult Protective Services, the Los Angeles Department of Public Health, and the Long Beach Police Department. The FBI's Victim Assistance Program will be working with the residents and families to find alternative facilities. A registered nurse was available at each facility to monitor the medical care of each person during this transition. The victims have been placed in various shelters.
'Forced servitude is an unconscionable crime and, as this case shows, it can take many forms,' said Robert Schoch, special agent in charge for the ICE Office of Investigations in Los Angeles. 'Holding people against their will and making them work under inhumane conditions amounts to modern day slavery. ICE is working closely with the FBI and its other law enforcement partners to ensure that crimes like these do not go unchecked or unpunished.'
Demafeliz and Riazon are being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles. They are scheduled to make their initial appearance in U.S. District Court today.
In Los Angeles, the FBI takes part in a Human Trafficking Task Force with partners from ICE, the United States Attorney's office, and the Los Angeles Police Department. The Human Trafficking Task Force in Los Angeles has established a toll-free hotline which victims and individuals with information about victims are encouraged to call. Hotline: 1-800-655-4095. Information may be provided anonymously and kept confidential.
