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Fuyao investigation
Credit: Bryant Billing
Credit: Bryant Billing
On July 26, 2024 federal agents raided Fuyao Glass America in Moraine. It was a massive operation, including dozens of sites across southwest Ohio. Today, reporter Thomas Gnau and I bring you our latest findings, including an interview with a former security guard at Fuyao and what he saw.
• The investigation: Earlier this month, Tom and I reported the allegations contained in a civil forfeiture filing by federal authorities related to the Fuyao raid. It lays out many of the allegations against the staffing company they accuse of human smuggling and money laundering.
- It’s worth noting that Fuyao has never been named as a target of the investigation. The civil filing says an organization it calls E-Z Iron Works was paid $126 million by Fuyao.
• Security guard: In today’s story, we talk to a security guard who worked at Fuyao before, during and after the raid about “red flags” he saw working there.
• Staffing agency: We also talked to local staffing agency executives about what a company’s responsibility is to make sure workers are legally able to work when dealing with a staffing company.
• State oversight: The state of Ohio has not yet taken steps to assess Fuyao’s employment as part of economic development grants.
• The investigation: The federal investigation started years before the raid, and included multiple stops of vans driving to and from Fuyao.
• New details: Items federal attorneys hope to seize include a $5,000, 50-caliber rifle and luxury wristwatches — one valued at $138,450.
• Companies: The filings also name about 40 business entities related to E-Z Iron Works, including a local construction company and restaurant.
• Fuyao responds: “FGA has consistently aimed to comply fully with the law and has been actively cooperating with law enforcement authorities. As the investigation remains ongoing, it would be inappropriate for the Company to make any public comments at this time,” a spokesperson told us in response to a list of emailed questions.
• Previous reporting: Go here for a previous story by reporter Eric Schwartzberg and I when we visited the properties raided last July and talked to neighbors about what they saw.
New Lebanon saga
A contentious election led to a flurry of allegations of misdealing and wasteful spending against the previous administration, unexpected and broad stroke firings, and public displays of disdain aimed at political adversaries. Sound familiar?
• The story: This week, reporter Aimee Hancock takes you to the western Montgomery County town of New Lebanon and looks at how turmoil there fits into larger national issues. Go here for the full story.
• New Lebanon: The village has had five people serve or appointed as administrator in a year. The last two police chiefs were fired, along with numerous other village employees. All of this followed the election of three new councilmembers.
• Drama: Accusations are flying. The law director openly chastises councilmembers and others. A former administrator and police chief are suing the town. Others accuse the new leadership of “abuse of power.”
• Zoom out: The shift toward the “nationalization of state and local politics,” as local political science expert Lee Hannah suggests, has been gaining traction for years, on occasion even permeating the smallest of governmental entities.
• Local view: “I want New Lebanon to grow past this; we’re stagnant and we’ve been stagnant for quite awhile,” one resident told Aimee. “At this point, it doesn’t matter whose fault it is; it’s time to be the bigger person and move forward.”