Overview
- Mexico’s attorney general transferred Alexander Villatoro Moreno at Mexico City’s international airport to U.S. agents under the bilateral extradition treaty.
- He made an initial appearance in the Middle District of Florida on November 14 and remains in U.S. custody awaiting further proceedings.
- The indictment charges conspiracy to violate RICO, conspiracy to commit forced labor, conspiracy to obstruct government proceedings, and one forced labor count tied to alleged conduct from September 2015 to December 2017.
- U.S. filings allege fraudulent H‑2A recruitment with illegal fees up to $2,500, document confiscation, unpaid long hours, deportation threats, and degrading housing, with at least 17 workers reporting abuse across placements in Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Georgia.
- Several co‑conspirators linked to Los Villatoros Harvesting LLC have pleaded guilty and were sentenced, including Bladimir Moreno (118 months), Efraín Cabrera Rodas (41 months), and Christina Gamez (37 months).