Two Georgia Men and a Chinese National Indicted for Forced Labor and Related Offenses
Three Georgia residents, including a Chinese national, were indicted for allegedly coercing Chinese visa workers into forced labor at a flooring factory, threatening deportation and withholding pay.
A federal grand jury in Georgia charged Zhu Chen, 60, Jiayi Chen, 31, and Jianjun Lu, 55, with forced labor, conspiracy, and alien harboring. The defendants allegedly recruited Chinese nationals on B-1 and L-1 visas to work at Wellmade Industries in Cartersville under false pretenses. Upon arrival, the victims were forced into 12-hour shifts, six days a week, with reduced pay and no overtime or health benefits.
The indictment alleges the defendants confiscated the victims’ immigration documents and subjected them to verbal, psychological, and physical abuse. Victims were housed in company-owned residences despite lacking legal visa status. Prosecutors claim the defendants threatened deportation and imposed debts to maintain control over the workers.
If convicted, the defendants face up to 20 years in prison. The case was investigated by HSI Atlanta, Bartow County Sheriff’s Office, and Georgia Bureau of Investigations, with prosecution led by the Justice Department’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section.
An indictment is not a conviction; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.