Moises Orduna-Rios, 36, and Raquel Orduna-Rios, 30, of Plymouth, Michigan, have been arrested and charged with multiple federal offenses related to the employment and harboring of unauthorized aliens as well as money laundering. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, the case centers on Orduna Plumbing Inc., a Michigan-based company that operates in several states including New York, Michigan, North Carolina, and Ohio. Moises Orduna-Rios serves as president of the company while Raquel Orduna-Rios is its treasurer and secretary.
Federal authorities allege that between January 2022 and December 2024, the defendants employed approximately 253 individuals; only six were confirmed to be legally permitted to work in the United States. The complaint states that unauthorized workers’ passports were collected by the defendants and that many lived in overcrowded housing or hotel rooms.
Investigators estimate that from January 1, 2022 to August 7, 2025, customer revenue generated by Moises and Raquel Orduna-Rios totaled around $74 million. During the investigation, U.S. Border Patrol agents and Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 23 unauthorized workers for Orduna Plumbing in Buffalo, Rochester, and Charlotte.
Evidence includes messages between Moises Orduna-Rios and some employees discussing payroll issues, care of company property, concerns about their undocumented status, moving residences to avoid detection by law enforcement, and taking steps to avoid apprehension. On February 1, 2025, Moises sent a group message saying: “Gentlemen, with all the controversy that is going on, its better to get ready, drive the speed limit, limit yourselves going to the store, only do minimal running of errands, and do not have any gatherings such as barbeques…”
In summer 2025 federal agents executed a search warrant at a residence in Rochester where they found nine individuals illegally present in the United States living in a small home believed connected to employment with Orduna Plumbing.
A financial review revealed hundreds of employees known to be illegally present were paid through various bank accounts controlled by the defendants.
Both Moises Orduna-Rios and Raquel Orduna-Rios appeared today before Federal Court in Michigan and were released on conditions pending further proceedings scheduled for December 2 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark W. Pedersen in New York’s Western District.
The case is part of Operation Take Back America—a Department of Justice initiative targeting illegal immigration activities as well as transnational criminal organizations.
The investigation was conducted by U.S. Border Patrol (Rochester Station), Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations Division (IRS-CI), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), CBP Air and Marine Operations with assistance from officials including Juan Ramirez Jr., Harry Chavis, Rose Brophy, Joseph Saville and Mark Diss.
“The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty,” stated federal authorities.
