Plymouth business owners facing federal charges in hiring of illegal workers
Moises Orduna-Rios, 36, and Raquel Orduna-Rios, 30, of Plymouth, were arrested last week and charged with federal crimes including conspiracy, transporting and harboring unauthorized aliens for commercial advantage or private financial gain, conspiracy to bring in, harbor, and transport unauthorized aliens, employment of at least 10 unauthorized aliens within a 12-month period, engaging in a pattern or practice of employing unauthorized aliens, and money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $3,000 for each unauthorized alien employed by the defendants. The charges were filed last week in a New York federal court.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, Orduna Plumbing Inc., is based in Michigan, with operations throughout the United States, including in New York, Michigan, North Carolina, and Ohio. Moises Orduna-Rios is the president of Orduna Plumbing, while Raquel Orduna-Rios is the treasurer and secretary.
Federal court filings allege that since January 2022, through December 2024, the defendants employed approximately 253 individuals. Of those, only six were confirmed to be legally present and permitted to work in the United States. The defendants collected the passports of the unauthorized aliens and housed them in overcrowded houses and hotel rooms, according to court documents. Investigators estimated that between Jan. 1, 2022, and Aug. 7, 2025, the couple generated approximately $74 million in customer revenue. During the course of the investigation, U.S. Border Patrol agents and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested 23 unauthorized aliens employed by Orduna Plumbing, in Buffalo, Rochester, and Charlotte, North Carolina.
Federal authorities said the investigation uncovered messaging communications between Moises Orduna-Rios and some of the unauthorized aliens, during which they discussed payroll, proper care of company vehicles, proper use of company credit cards, concerns about being undocumented, switching housing locations to be less visible to law enforcement, and precautions that should be taken to avoid being apprehended. In one instance, on Feb. 1, 2025, Moises Orduna-Rios sent this message by way of a group chat stating, “Gentlemen, with all the controversy that is going on, it’s better to get ready, drive the speed limit, limit yourselves going to the store, only do minimal running of errands, and do not have any gatherings such as barbeques…” Orduna paid the workers $800 to $1,500 per week, according to authorities, and covered some living expenses.
In the summer of 2025, Border Patrol agents executed a search warrant at a Rochester residence that housed some of the unauthorized aliens believed to be working for Orduna Plumbing. Border Patrol found nine individuals, all of whom were illegally present in the United States, living in a small sparsely furnished residence, according to a statement from federal prosecutors.
A financial review of Orduna Plumbing revealed the company paid hundreds of employees known to be illegally present in the United States through multiple bank accounts used and controlled by the defendants.
Moises Orduna-Rios and Raquel Orduna-Rios made an initial appearance last week in Federal Court in the Eastern District of Michigan in Detroit, charged with conspiracy, transporting and harboring undocumented immigrants for commercial advantage or private financial gain, and money laundering. If convicted, they each face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $3,000 for each undocumented immigrant they employed.
The couple were released on bond. Their next court appearance will take place on Dec. 2 in federal court in New York, where the criminal case was filed and will be prosecuted.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty, authorities stressed.
