Former Scranton Resident Jailed 24 Months for Harboring Illegal Aliens

SCRANTON – In a shocking case of human trafficking, 45-year-old Lihn Lam, a former resident of Scranton, has been sentenced to 24 months imprisonment by U.S. District Court Judge Edwin M. Kosik, in Scranton, for conspiracy related to the harboring and transporting of illegal aliens.

According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, Lam and other individuals operated a business known as “Ready Management Services, Inc.” between 2007 and the present which provided illegal aliens as employees under a temporary labor contract and paid the illegal aliens cash payments “under the table” for work they performed.

Lam was indicted by a grand jury in Scranton in April 2014, as a result of an investigation by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement & Removal Operations, the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General; the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Racketeering and Fraud Investigations, and the Pennsylvania State Police.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Todd K. Hinkley, who revealed that Lam’s scheme was a complex web of deceit and exploitation, where vulnerable individuals were lured into the country with promises of work, only to be subjected to substandard living conditions and poor working conditions.

“This sentence sends a strong message that human trafficking and harboring of illegal aliens will not be tolerated in our community,” said Judge Kosik. “Lam’s actions were a betrayal of the trust placed in him by the public, and he must face the consequences of his actions.”

Lam’s conviction marks a significant victory for law enforcement agencies, who have been working tirelessly to dismantle human trafficking rings in the region. The investigation into Lam’s activities is ongoing, and it is expected that more individuals will be charged in connection with the case.

As the community continues to reel from the shocking revelations, one thing is clear: human trafficking will not be tolerated in our midst. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this story and bring you updates as more information becomes available.