Overland Park hotel owners indicted in scheme to use undocumented workers

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. - A federal grand jury indicted an Overland Park, Kan., couple for a scheme to use undocumented workers at their two area hotels.

Munir Ahmad Chaudary, 51, and his wife, Rhonda R. Bridge, 40, each face one count of conspiracy to harbor undocumented aliens for personal gain, five counts of harboring undocumented aliens for personal gain and four counts of wire fraud, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office in Kansas.

The crimes allegedly occurred at the Clarion Hotel, 7000 W. 108th St., Overland Park and the Clarion Hotel at 11828 W. N.W. Plaza Circle in Kansas City, the news release states.

READ | Charges against hotel owners: http://tinyurl.com/98ov8lk

The grand jury also indicted a hotel employee, Syed Naqvy, 34, of Overland Park.

He worked as a desk clerk at the hotel despite being ordered out of the country.

Chaudary and his wife allegedly knew the workers were undocumented, but hired them anyway.

They paid those workers less than other hotel employees, according to the release.

An undercover operation at the hotel helped gather the evidence needed for the charges.

The release states that the undercover officer asked Chaudary why he was paid less than other employees.

Chaudary allegedly said it was because nothing was being withheld from the employee's check for those who were illegal aliens.

Grissom said the scam helped lower the couple's costs because they paid lower wages than their competitors and did not pay for any benefits.

Prosecutors will try to get the couple's two hotels and the money earned while the scheme went on, according to the release.

Chaudary and Bridge could face more than 20 years in prison if convicted.