While many\nAmericans were struggling to pay their bills, a Mexican national illegally living\nin Georgia was raking in millions by exploiting other illegal aliens and failing\nto withhold federal payroll and Social Security taxes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Oh, and he\nwas also buying more than 50 sports cars and customized trucks with his illegal\nprofits. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Juan Antonio Perez, who owned a construction company that operated in Georgia and Tennessee, allegedly accumulated his wealth from hiring other illegal aliens as employees, according to a federal indictment<\/a> filed in May. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Surprisingly, Perez showed little fear of federal law enforcement catching him. He allegedly provided \u201cno benefits or insurance,\u201d \u201cdid not pay payroll taxes or Social Security,\u201d and paid below-market rates to his illegal employees, according<\/a> to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). He also purchased a 7,500-square-foot house using the proceeds of his company and bought several other homes for his workers to live in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIndividuals,\nlike Mr. Perez, who flagrantly violate federal law to give themselves an unfair\nbusiness advantage are cheating both law-abiding employers and employees\nexploited by these unfair and illegal labor practices,\u201d said Nick Annan, the\nspecial agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations Atlanta. \u201cThis case\nis an illustration of serious threats to public safety on numerous levels.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Perez\u2019s\nconstruction company could have caused long-term harm to surrounding\nbusinesses. If these accusations are true, he paid his employees lower wages\nthan other construction companies were legally allowed to offer. He could have\ncost many legal residents their jobs by driving his competitors out of business.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition, Perez possibly contributed to wage stagnation even if his competitors managed to stay afloat. He allegedly hired<\/a> 200 illegal aliens, which allowed him to provide cheaper and faster labor than other local businesses. <\/p>\n\n\n\n