By Ben Blaschke
Two employees of MCC International Saipan, one of the contractors helping build Imperial Pacific Resort, have been arrested for the unlawful employment of aliens and bringing in and harboring of aliens following a raid on the company’s offices last week.
As reported by Marianas Variety, Zhao Yuqing and Ruan Pei face 10 years in jail and fines of up to US$250 million for harboring aliens as well as six months prison and a US$3,000 fine for each count of unlawful employment.
The FBI has stated that it discovered 400 Chinese passports during last week’s raid with 189 of them belonging to people who had already overstayed their visas.
Ruan Pei reportedly told FBI agents that worked as MCC’s government liaison and filed documents on behalf of employees, while Zhao Yuqing said he was Project Manager.
The revelations come following initial reports last Friday that FBI officials had in fact raided the offices of Imperial Pacific Holdings, which is located alongside MCC on the second floor of the Kase II building in Saipan. The company has come under heavy scrutiny since a 43-year-old Chinese national fell to his death from scaffolding on 22 March.
A statement released earlier this week by Imperial Pacific Holdings said, “Having made all reasonable inquiries, the board of directors of the Company hereby clarifies and declares that the investigation into the relevant construction accident of Saipan external construction team conducted by US Federal Bureau of Investigation, is not related to the Group and its employees.”
RelatedPosts
