By Bryan Collins –
Jesse James Moraes, 64, and Hugo Giovanni Moraes, 42, both of Woburn, Massachusetts and owners of two Woburn restaurants, Taste of Brazil—Tudo No Brasa and The Dog House, were charged with conspiring to encourage and induce an alien to come to, enter, and reside in the United States for the purpose of commercial advantage or private financial gain.
Marcos Chacon, 29, also of Woburn, was charged with knowing transfer of a false identification document knowing that such document was produced without lawful authority, and with illegal reentry by a deported alien.
Following an initial appearance Tuesday afternoon before U.S. District Court Chief Magistrate Judge M. Page Kelley in federal court in Boston, Jesse Moraes, Hugo Moraes and Marcos Chacon were detained pending a detention hearing.
Additionally, Chelbe Willams Moraes, a resident of Brazil, was charged in a four-count indictment unsealed Tuesday with conspiracy to encourage and induce an alien to come to, enter, and reside in the United States for financial gain; encouraging and inducing an alien to come to, enter, and reside in the United States for financial gain; money laundering; and money laundering conspiracy. He is the brother of Jesse Moraes and uncle of Hugo Moraes.
Chelbe Moraes and his coconspirators allegedly smuggled individuals from Brazil into the United States for a fee of approximately $18,000 – 22,000.
Once the individuals were in the United States, Jesse Moraes and Hugo Moraes allegedly employed them in their restaurants in Woburn, withholding their wages in order to pay off their smuggling debts.
Chelbe Moraes, Jesse Moraes and Hugo Moraes also allegedly gave or offered to give fake documentation to the individuals in order to support asylum claims or obtain work authorization. Marcos Chacon allegedly sold fake documentation to the individuals at the request of the Moraes defendants.
NewsTalk New England 