A father and son who own two Woburn restaurants pleaded guilty to charges that they smuggled migrants into the U.S. from Brazil, some of whom they later employed at the restaurants, federal prosecutors announced.
Jesse James Moraes, 66, and Hugo Giovanni Moraes, 45, both of Woburn, own Taste of Brazil—Tudo Na Brasa and The Dog House Bar and Grill. They pleaded guilty to conspiring to encourage and induce an alien to come to, enter, and reside in the United States, knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that such coming to, entry, or residence is or will be in violation of law, for commercial advantage or private financial gain.
Jesse Moraes also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to launder the proceeds of the migrant smuggling conspiracy. Both men will be sentenced in February, acting U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts Joshua Levy’s office said in a statement.
Prosecutors say both men recruited undocumented migrants in Brazil to enter the US through Mexico without authorization in exchange for fees ranging between $12,000 and $22,000 per person. The men encouraged the migrants to make fraudulent claims of asylum and familial relationships and gave them fraudulent information about points of contact in the U.S. to provide to federal authorities.
Once the migrants entered the U.S., Jesse and Hugo Moraes helped them find long-term housing, including in apartments owned by relatives. They also arranged for some of the migrants to work at the restaurants, where they were paid entirely or partly in cash. When the migrants obtained identification documents, they would begin paying at least partly by check, according to the statement.
Jesse and Hugo Moraes encouraged the migrants working for them to obtain fake identification documents, referring them to Marcos Chacon Gil, a co-conspirator, to do so, Levy’s office said.
The co-conspirators agreed some migrants could pay off part of the smuggling fee once they reached the U.S. The migrants did so via direct payment, withheld wages or through relatives and other associates in the country, Levy’s office said.
The money laundering conspiracy Jesse Moraes pleaded guilty to involved moving money in and out of the U.S. with the intention of promoting the conspiracy. He also attempted to cover up transactions using the money from the smuggling conspiracy, Levy’s office said.
Both Jesse and Hugo Moraes face up to 10 years in prison on the smuggling charge. Jesse Moraes faces an additional 20 years for the charge of money laundering conspiracy.
