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Garment Factory Manager Guilty of Bribery
LOS ANGELES – Howard Quoc Trinh, 42, the manager of Seven-Bros. Enterprises in La Puente, has been found guilty of federal charges of offering to pay bribes to an investigator with the United States Department of Labor in exchange for the investigator closing an investigation into wage violations.
Trinh, of Arcadia, was convicted late Tuesday by a federal jury after prosecutors presented evidence that he offered to pay $10,000 in bribes and actually paid $3,000 to a Department of Labor Wage and Hour investigator. The jury returned guilty verdicts on two counts of bribery.
“Companies and their managers victimizing their own employees through wage violations cannot perpetuate their conduct through bribes,” said United States Attorney Eileen M. Decker. “This jury verdict strikes a blow against both corruption and the exploitation of workers.”
The Labor Department investigator was investigating Seven-Bros. for violating the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which sets standards for minimum wage and overtime pay. The investigation found that Seven-Bros. owed approximately $100,000 to compensate employees for FLSA violations over a period from May 2012 through March 10, 2015.
As part of the investigation, the Labor Department issued a “hot goods” Notice to Restrain the Shipment of Goods, which prevented the company from shipping certain inventory until the back wages were paid to employees. Trinh was arrested on March 20 after he gave the investigator an initial payment of $3,000 in an unmarked manila envelope.
Trinh faces a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison. United States District Judge Christina A. Snyder has yet to schedule a sentencing date.
“Today’s jury verdict sends a strong message that those who attempt to bribe public officials will be held responsible for their serious crimes,” stated Abel Salinas, Special Agent in Charge of the Los Angeles Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations.
Ruben Rosales, the Regional Administrator for the Labor Department’s Wage and Hour Division in San Francisco, said: “We will not tolerate this type of behavior from anyone. We are very pleased that the collaboration between the Office of the Inspector General and the Division has resulted in a criminal conviction.”
Key Facts
- State: California
- Category: Public Corruption|White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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