Five Brownsville members of a California based church group face federal charges for human forced labor.
The five were arrested this week in Brownsville along with several others in California by order of U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer in an investigation of Imperial Valley Ministries in El Cento.
The suspects allegedly posed as “missionaries to drug addicts” but in reality took part in a forced-labor conspiracy recruiting dozens of homeless victims in Southern California and around the southwest including the Rio Grande Valley.
The victims were held captive in group homes and forced to beg for money for hours and then give the money to church leaders.
All of the victims have been freed.
Loading ...