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Michigan Couple Charged Over Multi-State Undocumented Labor Scheme as Case Moves to New York

The pair was released on conditions after an initial court appearance, with a Dec. 2 hearing set in the Western District of New York.

Overview

  • Moises Orduna-Rios, 36, and Raquel Orduna-Rios, 30, of Plymouth, Michigan, were arrested on a federal complaint alleging conspiracy, transporting and harboring unauthorized aliens, a pattern-or-practice employment offense, and money laundering.
  • Prosecutors say Orduna Plumbing employed about 253 people from January 2022 through December 2024, with only six confirmed as legally authorized to work in the United States.
  • Investigators allege the couple collected workers’ passports and placed them in overcrowded housing, and a summer search in Rochester found nine undocumented individuals living in a small, sparsely furnished residence.
  • U.S. Border Patrol and ICE agents arrested 23 Orduna Plumbing employees in Buffalo, Rochester, and Charlotte during the multi-agency investigation.
  • A financial review estimates $74 million in customer revenue since 2022 and alleges payroll for undocumented workers was routed through multiple accounts controlled by the defendants, with seized messages advising workers to keep a low profile around law enforcement.