Sacramento councilman charged by feds with fraud, obstruction, immigration violations

December 16, 2023

City of Sacramento word treatment

Photo courtesy of City of Sacramento website

The exploitation of undocumented workers is a national problem. So this story from Sacramento, California should not be surprising. But it is surprising — and disappointing — to me that a member of the Sacramento City Council allegedly has abused undocumented workers.

The Sacramento Bee reports that Sacramento City Councilman Sean Loloee was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury on fraud, obstruction and other charges, according to the unsealed indictment.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Audrey Hemesath said the U.S. government would not press for the defendants to be placed in custody pending trial on the charges.

The indictment charges the councilman with conspiracy to defraud the U.S. Department of Labor, possession of false immigration documents, using false immigration documents, obstruction of agency proceedings, falsifying records and wire fraud. If convicted, Loloee could face up to 20 years in prison.

Loloee and Karla Montoya, the general manager of Loloee’s four Viva Supermarkets, were indicted. The charges are based on allegations that they hired employees who used false immigration documents. “Montoya, at Loloee’s direction, regularly hired undocumented workers at the Viva Supermarkets because it was Loloee’s view that undocumented workers were easier to control,” the indictment says. “Loloee had knowledge of the practice of hiring undocumented workers and himself reviewed job applicants.”

“By maintaining a workforce of undocumented workers, Loloee enriched himself in various ways, including by not paying them overtime wages that would otherwise be required.”

Loloee reportedly plans to fight the indictment.

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