Employee Leasing Company Manager Pleads Guilty To Alien Harboring And Money Laundering Conspiracy Charges
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - Acting United States Attorney Robert S. Cessar announced today, April 9, 2010, that on April 8, 2010, Roman Kucher, a resident of Lakewood, Ohio, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of alien harboring and money laundering conspiracies. He also agreed to forfeit $15,000.75 and personal property to the United States.
Kucher, age 40, pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge Terrence F. McVerry.
In connection with the guilty plea, Assistant United States Attorney Margaret E. Picking advised the court that Kucher transported out‑of‑status aliens whom he employed between approximately 2003 and 2005 to and from his client businesses for a fee. Kucher managed the Cleveland subsidiary of Pittsburgh‑based Citiwide Management Group (CMG), an employee leasing company. The term "out‑of‑status aliens" refers to individuals who may have lawfully entered the United States, but have either overstayed the terms of their visas or were not permitted to be employed while in the United States under the terms of their visas. He and other co-conspirators employed and contracted out more than 100 out-of-status aliens to client businesses in Western Pennsylvania and Ohio. He also conspired to launder the profits generated through the wages of these out‑of‑status workers.
Judge McVerry scheduled sentencing for August 13, 2010, at 9:30 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 25 years in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court continued Kucher on bond. The Internal Revenue Service‑Criminal Investigation, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Office of Inspector General of the United States Department of Labor conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Roman Kucher.
