News Releases

Owner of 3 Virginia restaurants arrested for harboring illegal aliens

Fairfax, Va. - Kiet Boc Bui, a resident of Centerville, Va. and the owner of three Viet House restaurants in Virginia, was arrested yesterday on charges of knowingly employing and harboring illegal aliens after an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

"ICE aggressively targets employers who violate immigration laws by knowingly employing an illegal alien workforce," said John P. Torres, special agent in charge of the ICE Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Washington, D.C. "No industry is immune to following the law. Businesses that use illegal alien workers must understand that they will be held accountable for those unlawful practices."

According to court documents, between approximately April 5, 2005, and April 20, 2010, Bui allegedly knowingly employed and harbored illegal aliens not authorized to work in the United States. He allegedly employed at least seven illegal aliens and paid the workers in cash. In addition, he is alleged to have not kept payroll records for those employees and allegedly did not report the workers to the Virginia Employment Commission.

According to court documents, Bui allegedly had not filed an I-9 form for any of the employees who were paid in cash. Employers are required to complete this employment eligibility verification form within three business days after an employee is hired.

The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U. S. Attorney Joseph V. Moreno and Assistant U. S. Attorney Gordon Kromberg. ICE has developed a comprehensive worksite enforcement strategy that promotes national security, protects critical infrastructure and ensures fair labor standards. ICE's worksite enforcement investigations focus on egregious employers involved in criminal activity or worker exploitation.