Boston-area father and son restaurant owners charged with human smuggling

A Massachusetts father and son pair of restaurant owners in the Boston area were arrested Tuesday in connection with an alleged human smuggling operation in which victims were allegedly forced to work in the establishments to pay off their debt.

Jesse James Moraes, 64, and Hugo Giovanni Moraes, 42, Woburn residents, were each 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, the Justice Department said. 

Chelbe Willams Moraes, a resident of Brazil, is also accused of smuggling migrants illegally into the United States from Brazil in exchange for $18,000 to $22,000 in fees. Once in the U.S., the migrants were allegedly employed by Jesse Moraes and Hugo Moraes at two of their restaurants – Taste of Brazil—Tudo No Brasa and The Dog House Bar & Grill. 

TEXAS HUMAN SMUGGLING BY PLANE BECOMING MORE COMMON AS MIGRANTS ‘TRY TO AVOID DETECTION’: BORDER OFFICIALS

Their wages were allegedly withheld in order to pay off their smuggling debt. 

Marcos Chacon, 29, is accused of selling the suspects’ fake documents to support asylum requests or work authorization claims. 

One Taste of Brazil worker told CBS Boston they did not receive any tips and were forced to work 14-hours days for a month with no days off. 

Jesse Moraes, Hugo Moraes and Marcos Chacon appeared in federal court Tuesday where they were detained pending a detention hearing.

Inquiries from Fox News to both restaurants were not answered.