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3 Pinoys arrested in LA for alleged human smuggling


LOS ANGELES—Authorities say the leaders of a human smuggling operation have been arrested on suspicion of bringing fake taekwondo athletes from the Philippines. Agents from the FBI and Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Thursday announced the arrests of three Filipinos on suspicion of smuggling workers into the US. Authorities say Philippine nationals Rodolfo Deafeliz and assistant Rolleta Riazon were caught as they prepared to board a flight to Manila. Evelyn Pelayo who owns three nursing homes was also arrested. The six Filipinos who were "smuggled" say they were forced to work at two Long Beach nursing homes. A court affidavit filed Thursday alleged that Pelayo had recruited the workers promising them legitimate employment at her board-and-care facilities. According to officials, Deafeliz, a taekwondo instructor, then would designate the recruits his "students" who were traveling to the United States to participate in martial arts competitions, an article on Los Angeles Times said Thursday. The report said that Deafeliz taught the conscripts just enough taekwondo moves and terminology to fool immigration officials. Officials said the recruits were taken to Long Beach and put on 24-hour duty at the homes for the elderly. The suspects seized the passports of the workers and threatened the victims with arrest and deportation if they ran away, the affidavit said. Moreover, the suspects had instructed the workers not to talk with families of the elderly they were caring for and to lie about their work hours and working conditions if local and state inspectors who periodically visit nursing facilities asked them. Authorities closed two board-and-care houses owned by Pelayo Thursday morning after search warrants were executed at both sites. - AP with a report from GMANews.TV

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