Bentonville Firm Ordered to Forfeit Half-A-Million Dollars
Evan Hoffmeyer, KATV-TV (Little Rock), July 2, 2010
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A news release from Deborah Groom, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, said U.S. District Judge Jimm Larry Hendren ordered the forfeiture of $503,562 after authorities determined the funds were proceeds of illegal activity.
According to the release Wednesday, the company [a Bentonville, Arkansas, firm, Sarasu IT Solutions Ltd] falsely claimed the foreign nationals as its own employees on forms provided to the federal Labor Department and federal Citizenship and Immigration Services so the workers could obtain visas to stay in the United States.
The federal prosecutor said that, in addition to the forfeiture ordered by Hendren, federal authorities administratively seized $437,776 from the company, bringing the total amount obtained from Sarasu to $941,338.
