Latest news with #TraffickingVictimsProtectionReauthorizationAct
Miami Herald
09-07-2025
- Miami Herald
Popular restaurant chain slammed with lawsuit by undocumented workers
Fear and uncertainty of the future have never felt more real for immigrant communities, as new policy changes have made undocumented workers more vulnerable to deportation than ever, separating families and taking away their primary sources of income. Since President Donald Trump took office, his administration has significantly changed immigration policy and practices in the U.S. by pushing for stricter immigration laws, increasing border security, and expanding ICE's authority for immigration raids. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter Additionally, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently ended Temporary Protection Status for many Latin American communities. This effectively revokes certain employment authorization documents for those whose parole has been terminated, therefore impacting thousands of immigrant workers. Related: Walmart, Sam's Club make huge investment after disastrous flood The department also announced that it would enforce regular E-Verification to identify if employees are eligible to work in the U.S. Amid the stricter immigration policies, a popular restaurant chain has now been accused of committing terrible acts against the immigrant community, only adding to this tumultuous situation. Image Source: Shutterstock Five anonymous plaintiffs have filed a lawsuit against The Cheesecake Factory (CAKE) with the U.S. District Court of Pennsylvania for allegedly hiring undocumented workers at a restaurant in Willow Grove and participating in employment discrimination, forced labor, and human trafficking. The plaintiffs claim the restaurant chain provided undocumented employees with fraudulent work authorization documents and abused and mistreated them at the convenience of managers and American staff. Related: Oldest LA restaurant permanently closing after 117 years As stated in the court document, The Cheesecake Factory purposefully recruited undocumented workers by promising them job security, not to the employees' benefit, but rather for the financial interest of the company. The restaurant chain allegedly forced the employees to work unpaid regular and overtime hours, while prohibiting them from taking bathroom and lunch breaks. They were also forced to work while unwell and under extreme conditions, leading some to develop medical issues. If the employees didn't work to management's standards, they were harassed, called racial slurs, and threatened with deportation. If the accusations are proven true, The Cheesecake Factory would face charges for violating the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and Pennsylvania's Human Trafficking Act and Human Rights Act. More Food News: Burger King menu adds nostalgic drink after McDonald's backlashStarbucks' huge new rival opens first US storesPopular theme park denies major closure rumors The Cheesecake Factory denies all allegations and is sure the claims will be proven false. "The allegations in the complaint are entirely false and without merit. The company follows well-established internal protocols to ensure consistent compliance with all federal employment verification laws, including our obligations under Form I-9 requirements. We take these matters seriously and intend to vigorously defend against these baseless accusations through the appropriate legal channels. We are confident that the facts will clearly demonstrate the integrity of our practices," said The Cheesecake Factory Senior Vice President of Legal Services, Sidney M. Greathouse, in an email to The Street. Related: Veteran fund manager unveils eye-popping S&P 500 forecast The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Yahoo
Iowa egg supplier denies allegations of human trafficking, harassment
An Iowa industrial egg supplier is denying allegations that it engaged in human trafficking or threatened immigrant workers with deportation in retaliation for their complaints. In March, attorneys for six Guatemalan citizens sued Iowa's Centrum Valley Farms and company manager Jose Cornejo in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa. The plaintiffs, all of whom lived in Belmond, Eagle Grove, Clarion or Webster City while working for Centrum Valley Farms, seeks unspecified damages for harassment, discrimination and retaliation; wrongful discharge; human trafficking related to forced labor; violations of wage-and-hour laws related to overtime pay; and violations of the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act. The plaintiffs — Kenny Augusto Tetzaguic Lux, Gerver Noel Marroquin Argueta, Isaias Tevalan Lopez, Consuelo Esperanza Lux Tepaz, Cecilia Angelica Bernal Cobo and Juan Carlos Tetzaguic Lux – claim Centrum Valley Farms recruited them to work at the company's Clarion egg farm and packaging facility and helped them obtain work-authorization documents from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, with Cornejo acting as their supervisor. On a daily basis, Cornejo, who is Mexican, made 'repeated unwelcome comments disparaging the plaintiffs for their Guatemalan national origin,' the lawsuit claims. Cornejo is accused of telling the plaintiffs all Guatemalans were lazy and that he wanted to replace them with Mexicans or Americans. When the Guatemalans complained about Cornejo to other managers, the lawsuit claims, the harassment allegedly grew worse with Cornejo threatening to have them deported. 'Cornejo even brought a firearm to work, showed it to the plaintiffs, and displayed it in his office to intimidate the plaintiffs and silence their complaints,' the lawsuit claims. Cornejo also is accused of threatening to turn the Guatemalans in to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement if they tried to voluntarily leave their positions at the company. The company eventually terminated the Guatemalans' employment 'in retaliation for their complaints,' the lawsuit adds. On Jan. 25, 2023, Cornejo allegedly brought a firearm to his office and displayed it on his desk to intimidate Lux and the other Guatemalans, according to the lawsuit. One of the other plaintiffs alleges Cornejo referred to him as his 'faithful dog,' his 'slave' and as his 'Guatemalan wetback,' while making him apply pesticides in chicken houses without the necessary protective equipment. In response to the lawsuit, Centrum Valley Farms has denied any wrongdoing and claimed more than a dozen affirmative defenses. For example, the company alleges the plaintiffs failed to take advantage of corrective or preventative opportunities to avoid any harm, and that the Guatemalans' claims of harassment are barred because the workers cannot show that any such conduct was so severe or pervasive that it affected their employment. To the extent that any discriminatory or retaliatory conduct was committed by an employee of Centrum Valley Farms, the company states, the conduct fell outside the scope of the employee's authority and was contrary to Centrum Valley Farm's 'good-faith efforts to comply with state and federal law.' A trial date has yet to be scheduled. Find this story at Iowa Capital Dispatch, which is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Iowa Capital Dispatch maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Kathie Obradovich for questions:kobradovich@ This story was updated to add a video. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Centrum Valley Farms in Iowa denies allegations of human trafficking
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Yahoo
Iowa egg supplier denies allegations of human trafficking
Six Guatemalans filed a lawsuit alleging a Centrum Valley Farms supervisor kept this gun displayed in his office and threatened them with deportation as part of a human trafficking operation at the Clarion egg farm. (Main photo courtesy Wright County Assessor's Office; inset photo from federal court filings) An Iowa industrial egg supplier is denying allegations that it engaged in human trafficking or threatened immigrant workers with deportation in retaliation for their complaints. In March, attorneys for six Guatemalan citizens sued Iowa's Centrum Valley Farms and company manager Jose Cornejo in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa. The plaintiffs, all of whom lived in Belmond, Eagle Grove, Clarion or Webster City while working for Centrum Valley Farms, seeks unspecified damages for harassment, discrimination and retaliation; wrongful discharge; human trafficking related to forced labor; violations of wage-and-hour laws related to overtime pay, and violations of the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act. The plaintiffs — Kenny Augusto Tetzaguic Lux, Gerver Noel Marroquin Argueta, Isaias Tevalan Lopez, Consuelo Esperanza Lux Tepaz, Cecilia Angelica Bernal Cobo and Juan Carlos Tetzaguic Lux – claim Centrum Valley Farms recruited them to work at the company's Clarion egg farm and packaging facility and helped them obtain work-authorization documents from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, with Cornejo acting as their supervisor. On a daily basis, Cornejo, who is Mexican, made 'repeated unwelcome comments disparaging the plaintiffs for their Guatemalan national origin,' the lawsuit claims. Cornejo is accused of telling the plaintiffs all Guatemalans were lazy and that he wanted to replace them with Mexicans or Americans. When the Guatemalans complained about Cornejo to other managers, the lawsuit claims, the harassment allegedly grew worse with Cornejo threatening to have them deported. 'Cornejo even brought a firearm to work, showed it to the plaintiffs, and displayed it in his office to intimidate the plaintiffs and silence their complaints,' the lawsuit claims. Cornejo also is accused of threatening to turn the Guatemalans in to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement if they tried to voluntarily leave their positions at the company. The company eventually terminated the Guatemalans' employment 'in retaliation for their complaints,' the lawsuit adds. On Jan. 25, 2023, Cornejo allegedly brought a firearm to his office and displayed it on his desk to intimidate Lux and the other Guatemalans, according to the lawsuit. One of the other plaintiffs alleges Cornejo referred to him as his 'faithful dog,' his 'slave' and as his 'Guatemalan wetback,' while making him apply pesticides in chicken houses without the necessary protective equipment. In response to the lawsuit, Centrum Valley Farms has denied any wrongdoing and claimed more than a dozen affirmative defenses. For example, the company alleges the plaintiffs failed to take advantage of corrective or preventative opportunities to avoid any harm, and that the Guatemalans' claims of harassment are barred because the workers cannot show that any such conduct was so severe or pervasive that it affected their employment. To the extent that any discriminatory or retaliatory conduct was committed by an employee of Centrum Valley Farms, the company states, the conduct fell outside the scope of the employee's authority and was contrary to Centrum Valley Farm's 'good-faith efforts to comply with state and federal law.' A trial date has yet to be scheduled. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Sunday World
09-06-2025
- Business
- Sunday World
Pornhub-linked Dublin firm says lawsuit alleging that it distributed child porn ‘without merit'
Pre-tax profits at the company in 2020 almost doubled to $10.76m Aylo Billing is a subsidiary of the operator of the world's most-visited pornographic website, Pornhub. Photo: Depositphotos A Dublin based subsidiary of the operator of the world's most visited adult entertainment website, Pornhub has stated that a US lawsuit alleging that it distributed child pornography is 'without merit'. That is according to new and overdue accounts for Aylo Billing Ltd which show that revenues increased by 28pc from $240.73m to $307.4m in 2020. The company has its registered office here at Baldonnell Business Park in D22 and over three years across 2020, 2019 and 2018 Aylo Billing Ltd generated a cumulative $769m in revenues. Pre-tax profits at the company in 2020 almost doubled to $10.76m. The directors state that company's principal activity is the resale of membership subscriptions and the management of online memberships for certain websites primarily delivered through online and mobile media platforms. In a note attached to the accounts, only signed off on April 30th 2025, the company states that two anonymous individuals filed a putative class action in February 2021 in an Alabama court district against Aylo Billing Ltd and affiliates. The note states that the claims allege that Aylo Billing and affiliated companies benefited from a sex trafficking venture in violation of the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act "and that the company and affiliates received, possessed and distributed child pornography". The note states that 'the company considers the lawsuit to be without merit and intends to vigorously defend it'. Aylo Billing is a subsidiary of the operator of the world's most-visited pornographic website, Pornhub. Photo: Depositphotos News in 90 Seconds - 09 June 2025 The note states that the plaintiffs are seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages, injunctive relief, attorneys' fees and costs. The note states that in December 2023, the Alabama Court granted the plaintiffs' motion for class certification. A separate note states that in May 2024, an anonymous individual filed a class action in California alleging that the company and affiliates violated the Video Privacy Protection Act by sharing user data without consent and is seeking damages. Again, Aylo Billing state that it considers the lawsuit to be without merit and intends to vigorously defend it. The company has been indemnified by group companies in the two matters and there is no provision required in the financial statements. The accounts do disclose that the company agreed in July 2023 to make $24m in total benefits in settlement of a class action brought in June 2021 at the Los Angeles Superior Court. The class action alleged deceptive and fraudulent billing practices. The company reveals that it paid out a further $6m in attorney fees and a $25,000 service award to the plaintiff. On its website, Aylo describes itself as 'a tech pioneer offering world class adult content platforms'. Aylo state: 'We provide trusted environments to enable a safe online user experience, and to empower our communities by celebrating diversity, inclusion and expression." Aylo states that its portfolio includes Pornhub, YouPorn, Brazzers, Nutaku 'all of which maintain robust trust and safety protocols'. Accumulated profits at Aylo Billing Ltd at the end of 2020 totalled $15.43m while cash funds almost doubled from $6.19m to $11.5m. Aylo Billing Ltd's immediate parent firm is based in Cyprus while consolidated financial statements for Aylo Holdings SARL are available in Luxembourg.
Irish Examiner
09-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Dublin subsidiary of Pornhub owner sees revenues rise 28%
A Dublin based subsidiary of the operator of the world's most visited adult entertainment website, Pornhub has stated that a US lawsuit alleging that it distributed child pornography is 'without merit'. That is according to new and overdue accounts for Aylo Billing Ltd which show that revenues increased by 28% from $240.73m to $307.4m in 2020. The company has its registered office here at Baldonnell Business Park in D22 and over three years across 2020, 2019 and 2018 Aylo Billing Ltd generated a cumulative $769m in revenues. Pre-tax profits at the company in 2020 almost doubled to $10.76m. The directors state that company's principal activity is the resale of membership subscriptions and the management of online memberships for certain websites primarily delivered through online and mobile media platforms. In a note attached to the accounts, only signed off on April 30th 2025, the company states that two anonymous individuals filed a putative class action in February 2021 in an Alabama court district against Aylo Billing Ltd and affiliates. The note states that the claims allege that Aylo Billing and affiliated companies benefited from a sex trafficking venture in violation of the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act "and that the company and affiliates received, possessed and distributed child pornography". The note states that 'the company considers the lawsuit to be without merit and intends to vigorously defend it'. The note states that the plaintiffs are seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages, injunctive relief, attorneys' fees and costs. The note states that in December 2023, the Alabama Court granted the plaintiffs' motion for class certification. A separate note states that in May 2024, an anonymous individual filed a class action in California alleging that the company and affiliates violated the Video Privacy Protection Act by sharing user data without consent and is seeking damages. Again, Aylo Billing state that it considers the lawsuit to be without merit and intends to vigorously defend it. The company has been indemnified by group companies in the two matters and there is no provision required in the financial statements. The accounts do disclose that the company agreed in July 2023 to make $24m in total benefits in settlement of a class action brought in June 2021 at the Los Angeles Superior Court. The class action alleged deceptive and fraudulent billing practices. The company reveals that it paid out a further $6m in attorney fees and a $25,000 service award to the plaintiff. On its website, Aylo describes itself as 'a tech pioneer offering world class adult content platforms'. Aylo state: 'We provide trusted environments to enable a safe online user experience, and to empower our communities by celebrating diversity, inclusion and expression." Aylo states that its portfolio includes Pornhub, YouPorn, Brazzers, Nutaku 'all of which maintain robust trust and safety protocols'. Accumulated profits at Aylo Billing Ltd at the end of 2020 totalled $15.43m while cash funds almost doubled from $6.19m to $11.5m. Aylo Billing Ltd's immediate parent firm is based in Cyprus while consolidated financial statements for Aylo Holdings SARL are available in Luxembourg.
