Source: United States Attorneys General
Headline: Cuban National Indicted on Federal Charges of Labor Trafficking, Alien Smuggling, Loan Sharking, and Identity Theft
A Cuban national, living in Palm Beach County, was arrested in Las Vegas, Nevada, on February 12, after being charged with labor trafficking, alien smuggling, loan sharking and identity theft.
Benjamin G. Greenberg, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Mark Selby, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, (ICE-HSI), and Ric Bradshaw, Sheriff, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, (PBSO), made the announcement.
Ivan Madrigal Zamora, 56, of Cuba, who was living in Palm Beach County, was charged by indictment with one count of forced labor trafficking, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1589(a), one count of aggravated identity theft, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1028A(a)(1), one count of production of a false identification document, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1028(a)(1), one count of loan sharking, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 894(a)(1), and one count of encouraging and inducing an alien to reside in the United States, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1324(a)(1)(A)(iv) & (B)(i). If convicted on all charges, Zamora faces a combined statutory maximum sentence of 62 years in prison. Zamora is currently being detained without bond pending further court proceedings in West Palm Beach.
According to court records, from in July 2017, Zamora obtained forced labor from the victim and used extortionate means to collect a debt from the victim. From December 2016 through July 2017, Zamora procured a fake Florida driver license and encouraged or induced an illegal alien come to, enter and reside in the United States.
Mr. Greenberg commended the investigation efforts of ICE-HSI and PBSO and the partnership of the Palm Beach County Human Trafficking Task Force. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Gregory Schiller.
An indictment merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.