“Federal government agents and supporting local law enforcement officers visited Fuyao Glass America, Inc. (”FGA”) as part of an investigation which we believe involves certain FGA contractors. The company intends to cooperate fully with the investigation,” said Lei Shi, Fuyao Glass America community relations manager, in a statement to the Dayton Daily News.
Lei said as a result of the investigation, part of the first and the second shift operations were suspended on Friday.
“The factory resumed production in the third shift and we believe our production and delivery will not be impacted,” Lei Shi said.
Workers leaving Fuyao on Friday told the Dayton Daily News that they were told to bring all their belongings to the cafeteria and they were allowed to leave one by one after they were asked several questions.
Homeland Security Investigations special agents, in collaboration with IRS Criminal Investigation and other law enforcement agencies conducted federal search warrants Friday at Fuyao Glass America in Moraine and 27 other locations in the Dayton area as part of an ongoing criminal investigation.
Authorities with Homeland Security could not be reached Sunday to answer questions about who is the target of the investigation.
The Dayton Daily News received a tip earlier this month raising questions about whether a staffing company was providing workers to Fuyao improperly. Much earlier, a Miami Twp. resident complained that as many as 25 men had moved into the home next to his, and were being ferried via 15-passenger vans to work various shifts at the plant.
Homeland Security Investigations Detroit Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey said Friday the investigation is focused on money laundering, potential human smuggling, labor exploitation and financial crimes.
The goal was to gather facts so investigators can present a case in federal court, Murphey said.
“Generally, when bad actors engage in unfair labor practices they place profits over people and give themselves an unfair competitive advantage by exploiting workers and violating U.S. law,” he added. “When those law are broken, honest working people suffer, our communities suffer and our neighbors suffer.”
IRS Criminal Investigations Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Karen Wingere said the investigative arm of the IRS is responsible for financial crime investigations, including violations of the internal revenue code — such as employment tax and other financial crimes — narcotics trafficking and money laundering.
Homeland Security officials said activities tied to the investigation took place at homes and businesses in Dayton, Liberty Twp., Miamisburg, Moraine and West Carrollton but said there was “no threat to public safety” at that time.
* Around noon Friday, six men and one woman were sitting handcuffed outside a home in the 1100 block of Irving Avenue in Dayton. Police wearing Homeland Security and other departments’ gear were going in and out of the house.
* In the 3700 block of Waterbury Drive in Kettering, Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officers were seen going in and out of a house.
A neighbor, who asked not to be identified, said he was in his bedroom around 10:30 a.m. when he heard sirens.
“I thought it was just someone who got pulled over or whatever,” he said. “Then I heard, ‘FBI, open up. FBI, open up.’”
Chinese-owned Fuyao Global bought part of what had been a closed General Motors plant in Moraine in 2014, reconfiguring it into what the company has said is the world’s largest auto glass production site.
Fuyao Global has said it is the second biggest glass manufacturer in the world and the largest in China.
About the Author