Texas trucking owner indicted in scheme involving 57 unauthorized drivers
A Laredo trucking company owner faces federal charges for allegedly employing 57 unauthorized B-1 visa drivers to haul domestic freight across the U.S. The post Texas trucking owner indicted in scheme involving 57 unauthorized drivers appeared first on FreightWaves .
Armando Martinez Varela, a 56-year-old trucking company owner from Laredo, Texas, has been indicted by federal prosecutors for allegedly running a scheme to employ unauthorized foreign drivers on domestic freight routes across the United States, saving his company nearly $300,000 in labor costs. The indictment alleges that VMS Transport LLC, which Varela owned, hired 57 drivers with B-1 nonimmigrant visas to perform domestic trucking work they were not authorized to undertake.
The drivers, who completed 1,044 domestic transportation trips between February 20 and May 15, reportedly picked up trailers in Laredo and delivered freight to various destinations throughout the U.S. The indictment claims that Varela paid these foreign drivers between 25 cents and 50 cents per mile, significantly less than the approximately 70 cents per mile paid to authorized drivers.
If convicted, Varela could face up to 10 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. The indictment underscores federal scrutiny of trucking companies utilizing improperly authorized foreign drivers to cut labor costs and gain a competitive edge over compliant carriers.
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