Sacramento City Councilmember Sean Loloee was indicted by a grand jury Friday on a slew of federal fraud and obstruction charges. The 25-count indictment alleges he knowingly employed undocumented immigrants at his Viva Supermarket chain, used and distributed falsified identification documents, failed to pay the workers fair wages, and then retaliated against those who cooperated with the federal investigation against him. Karla Montoya, the general manager of Loloee’s supermarket chain, is also facing criminal charges.
“Montoya, at Loloee’s direction, regularly hired undocumented workers at the Viva Supermarkets because it was Loloee’s view that undocumented workers were easier to control,” according to the indictment. “By maintaining a workforce of undocumented workers, Loloee enriched himself in various ways, including by not paying them overtime wages that would otherwise be required.”
Both Loloee and Montoya have pleaded not guilty and are currently out of jail. They are due back in court on Feb. 12.
Loloee has faced one controversy after another since becoming a member of the city council. He has been accused of lying about his residency and was fined $200 by the Fair Political Practices Commission in June. He is currently under investigation again by the FPPC and is facing a lawsuit from the Department of Labor over alleged workplace violations.
Loloee announced this year that he would not seek re-election.
Read the full indictment at the Sacramento Bee.